SIMULACRA
a solo exhibition at TARS Unlimited in 2024, invites audiences into an intricate exploration of memory, space, and perception through a collection of paintings created specifically for this exhibition. Inspired by the unique setting of the second floor of TARS Unlimited, Sirawit Chatu delves into the traces left behind by the building’s former inhabitants—workers whose presence lingers in the walls and atmosphere. These remnants, both tangible and intangible, become the foundation for a richly layered visual narrative. The exhibition weaves elements of traditional Thai mural art with imagined histories, creating a simulated realm that blurs the lines between fiction and reality. Sirawit critically engages with the use of pre-existing knowledge and collective memory to reconstruct historical narratives, exposing the irony and subjectivity inherent in such representations. By navigating the intersection of the real and the imagined, Simulacra challenges audiences to question their understanding of history, prompting curiosity about the narratives we accept as truth and the ways we construct reality.
