rush pleansuk narrates the circle of life with genii loci collection

rush pleansuk narrates the circle of life with genii loci collection
all images courtesy of rush pleansuk

derived from a roman word, ‘genii loci’ refers to the protective spirit of a place and the name of an exhibition by rush pleansuk, an artist who translates and transforms the asian tradition and thai belief that souls are to be protectors of the living into contemporary creation. the construction and identification of a certain object as a place where the ‘apparitiion’ resides is deeply rooted within the culture. it has been passed on to the present time through pleansuk’s intricately interwoven art of furniture design, where the abstract is made tangible.

the constructs represent spirits and memories

the content of the collection, which raises issues involving the ‘circle of life’, is divided into three main sections. ‘body’ depicts the temporality of the human form through the use of concrete and wooden fragments of old homes.

‘body’

three versions within a gallery space

the last sequence consists of memory no.1, memory no.2 and memory no.3, a set where unused furniture provides the foundation for different compositions to be built upon, taking the ‘house of spirit’ to its physical and spiritual completion. family stories passed on from generation to generation, received and retold, and mementos such as photographs and personal belongings of ancestors may be placed inside as a means of bringing the past closer and allowing for memories to become accessible once again.

‘memory no.1’

details representing shingles and construction components

closeup of the roof

smoked rosewood is used to interpret ‘sense’, symbolizing the ultimate truth of life similar to a joss stick burning from wood into smoke, floating, lingering and fading away. meanwhile, the texture and of the lumber material is intended to be no different than a person’s frame, deteriorating over time. as it is read vertically from bottom to top, a gradient of color shifts from deep red to pitch black.

‘sense’

the production process

according to pleansuk, ‘people in present-day society have seemingly abandoned their roots completely and lie asleep under the illusionary dream of materialism; perhaps this silent conversation initiated by the ‘genii loci’ might succeed in rebuilding the bond that, at one time, bridged what seem today distant gaps and linked individuals and their ancestors together across time.’

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.