Imhathai Suwatthanasilp uses daring materials to tell moving stories

Bangkok-based artist Imhathai Suwatthanasilp’s technique is traditional, but the material she uses is unexpected. ‘What makes my work special is the way I use human hair,’ she says of her delicate artworks.

She fell in love with crochet at the age of 11, crafting an intricate lace trim for a handkerchief while she was at school. Today, hair acts as the yarn. The personal nature of this base material, as well as the other objects and materials she mixes into it, allows her to weave human stories and social commentary into her artworks – such as in No More Sewing Machine, made from hair donated by sex workers.

‘The ideas behind
 her works are quite heavy, yet her pieces don’t make us feel overwhelmed or depressed and we can enjoy their aesthetic,’ says Atty Tantivit, founder of Atta Gallery, which is displaying Suwatthanasilp’s work at Collect art fair, taking place virtually on Artsy.net this year. ‘It’s daring of her to use human hair as it is such an intimate material that could bring about both positive and negative emotions to the viewers.’

During Collect she will exhibit Dreamcatcher (Bra Frame) Nos. 1-5, which incorporates shells and underwire-bra frames. ‘It is a recording of my illness from my breast tumours. A lot of works I create function as the diary of my life.’

Collect 2021 is now live on Artsy.net, with works on view and commissions available until 24 March. Over the weeks, we’ve been meeting the makers making their debut at the fair – explore more artist profiles online and follow the action on Instagram at @collectartfair and #collect2021.