Wormholes of Sam Rit is the story of how a 20-something scifi artist traveled to a rural Thai village to create artwork and experience life from another perspective – quite literally.
WORM HOLES IN THE VILLAGE OF SAM RIT, NAKHON RATCHASIMA, THAILAND.
OPEN-MINDEDNESS LED ME HERE, OPEN-MINDEDNESS INVITED ME.
MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS ALONG THE LINES OF ”THERE’S SOMETHING BENEFICIAL ABOUT BEING FINNISH, APPARENTLY.”
SPENDING THE HOLIDAY SEASON, DECEMBER IN THAILAND WAS A DREAM COME TRUE, AND SO WAS THE ARTIST RESIDENCY. I’VE NEVER REALLY BEEN FOND OF THE COLD FREEZING WINTERS IN FINLAND SO THE WARM LOCATION HAS BEEN VERY PLEASANT AND UPLIFTING.
THIS WAS MY FIRST TRIP TO ASIA AND MY FIRST LONG HAUL FLIGHT. I WAS SURPRISED HOW EASY IT WAS FOR ME TO TOLERATE THE +10 HOUR FLIGHT FROM COPENHAGEN, WHERE I SWITCHED. ONCE I LANDED, I WENT TO FIND LINDSAY. IT WAS EASY TO CHANGE MONEY IN THIS WIDE, HUGE AIRPORT OF SUVARNABUMI IN BANGKOK. THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH SIGNS WITH THE NAMES ON THERE, LINDSAY TOO OF COURSE, AND HE SPOTTED ME FIRST.
IT WAS NICE TO GET THE DRIVE TO THE SAM RIT RESIDENCY AS I GOT TO CHAT WITH HIM ABOUT ALMOST EVERYTHING, STOP FOR FRUIT, TOILET AND SO ON. WE GRABBED FOOD FOR ME AS WELL SO I COULD GET STARTED WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATE.
I REMEMBER THE WHOLE DRIVE SO VIVIDLY AS IT WAS A REALLY HOT DAY – I DRANK A LOT OF WATER AND FELT EXTRA TIRED AFTER THE FLIGHT SO SLEEPING IN THE CAR WAS A GOOD OPTION TO HAVE AT HAND.
MY PERSONAL TOURIST GUIDE FOR THE FIRST FEW DAYS WAS ART, WORKING AT THE RESIDENCY FOR THIS SPECIFIC PURPOSE I GUESS. I THINK I WAS RELATIVELY EASY GUEST AS I’M RATHER INTROVERTED AND NEED SOME SPACE AND REST IN BETWEEN DOING AND SEEING THINGS. IT WAS NICE TO NOTICE THAT THAI PEOPLE ARE VERY RELAXED AND DOWN TO EARTH SO THERE WASN’T A NEED FOR EXCESSIVE PLANNING OR THE FEELING OF RUSH.
I FEEL LIKE MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE WAS TO KEEP UP THE OUTGOING MINDSET – I OFTEN GET INTO ”NO HUMANS TODAY, OK” -MOOD SO WHEN THAT WOULD HAPPEN MY INTERACTIONS WITH THE THAI PEOPLE COULD HAVE BEEN LACKING IN FRIENDLINESS OR THE JOYFUL EXPRESSION THAT MOST OF THEM HAVE, WHERE AS FINNISH AND BALTIC PEOPLE ARE A BIT SERIOUS LOOKING. WE DON’T SMILE TOO MUCH! IT DOESN’T MEAN THAT WE DON’T FEEL THAT WAY, BUT IT’S OUR CULTURAL FACE HAHAHA.
I SURVIVED THIS SMALL VILLAGE AS A VEGAN, QUEER PERSON, WHICH DOESN’T SEEM TO BOTHER ANYONE. THEY QUICKLY FIGURED HOW TO COOK ME VEGAN MEALS – AGAIN, I DON’T KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR THIS – AND PEOPLE WOULD GREET ME THE SAME WAY AS OTHERS, I BELIEVE.
I SAW THE TWO CITIES CLOSEST TO SAM RIT AND THOSE WERE OTHER WORLDS TO BE HONEST. I EVEN GOT A BIT ANXIOUS AT THIS ONE MARKET WE VISITED WITH ART– NOTHING TOO SEVERE, I EXPERIENCE THIS FEELING FROM TIME TO TIME. OTHERWISE MY MENTAL HEALTH WAS SURPRISINGLY WELL THROUGH THIS VISIT AND I ONLY HAD SOME DIGESTION ISSUES THE FIRST FEW DAYS AND POLLEN ALLERGY BUT THOSE WENT AWAY.
I’M SO HAPPY THAT I GOT TO SEE THE FARM AS THERE ARE PIGS! PIGS ARE MY FAVORITE ANIMALS AND KIND OF THE REASON I WENT VEGAN IN THE FIRST PLACE. THERE WERE TEN PIGLETS THAT I WENT TO CUDDLE AND PLAY WITH AND THE FEELING THAT I GOT FROM IT IS SOMETHING THAT I’VE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE – SO I FIND IT CHALLENGING TO EXPLAIN IN WORDS. I’M SURE THEY LOVE ME TOO… I ALSO GOT FOND OF THE GECKOS. THEY’RE LOUD AND ONE EVEN CAME TO MY COTTAGE AND THAT FREAKED ME OUT A LITTLE BIT BUT WE GOT RID OF HIM AND FOUND A WAY TO STOP THE GECKOS FROM COMING THERE.
I WENT THROUGH SOME HUGE EPIPHANIES ON THIS STAY.
THE WORMHOLE CONCEPT IS ABOUT SYNCHRONICITIES AND MISSING LINKS, AS IF SOMETHING INVISIBLE CONNECTS US AND ALMOST MAGNETICALLY BRINGS US TOGETHER.
I FEEL THAT A LOT OF THAT BROUGHT ME HERE AS THESE SYNCHRONICITIES STARTED TO POP UP EVERYWHERE. FIRST WITH A LOT OF THINGS I TALKED WITH LINDSAY, THEN IN THE PLACES I WENT TO I WOULD SEE SYMBOLISM THAT I WOULD EITHER HAVE NIGHTLY DREAMS OF OR HAVE SIGNIFICANT AFFECTION TO.
BESIDES THIS, SO MANY THINGS SEEMED TO FALL INTO PLACE WHILE I WAS HERE THAT IT STARTED TO FEEL SURREAL.
THIS WORMHOLE SYMBOLISM IS THE THEME OF MY WORKING THAT I’VE DONE WITH PROFESSOR SURICHAI BY MAKING PRINTS – WE DOCUMENTED IT BY VIDEO AND PHOTOS. I’VE REALLY MISSED PRINT MAKING SO THIS WAS INDEED A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO GET BACK INTO IT.
MOST OF THESE SYNCHRONICITIES SURPRISED ME AS THEY USUALLY DO – THEY KIND OF COME OUT OF THE BLUE. I’VE BEEN TRYING TO COME UP WITH A NEW NAME TO MYSELF AS I’VE BEEN WANTING TO CHANGE MY LEGAL NAME.
THIS HAPPENED WHEN THE MOON WAS FULL AS I COMPLETELY RANDOMLY GOT THE IDEA TO SEARCH FOR FRENCH GENDER NEUTRAL NAMES.
WHY FRENCH?
NO IDEA.
I PROBABLY UNCONSCIOUSLY PICKED IT UP FROM ONLINE BY CHANCE AND THOUGHT TO DO THE SEARCH BUT THE RESULTS OF THAT INCIDENCE WAS THE BREAKTHROUGH.
SECONDLY, I WAS INVITED TO A FAMILY DINNER FOR CHRISTMAS DAY AND THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHICH GOT ME REALLY NERVOUS. IT WAS WONDERFUL THAT THERE WERE MORE NON THAI PEOPLE BESIDES ME AND LINDSAY THERE WHICH WAS ALSO QUITE RANDOM I SUPPOSE – I HEARD THEY HAD GOT TO KNOW THE FAMILY FAIRLY RECENTLY. I WAS SUPPOSED TO MAKE A FINNISH DRINK CALLED GLÖGI BUT I WAS TOO NERVOUS TO DO SO, I HAVE HUGE STAGE FRIGHT AND THIS SEEMED LIKE A PERFORMANCE HAHAHAH!
ANYWAY, WE HAD SOME BEAUTIFULLY EXPANSIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THESE TWO TEACHERS AND ONCE THEY LEFT LINDSAY ASKED ME ABOUT MY DREAMS. I WOULDN’T WRITE IT HERE IF IT WASN’T SIGNIFICANT TO ME TO MENTION, KEEP IN MIND. FOR A LONG TIME I’VE HAD MANY DREAMS AND BEEN JUST ”DOING ME” LIVING MOSTLY IN THE PRESENT.
I HAD A CHALLENGE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION SINCE NOT ONLY IS IT A CHALLENGE TO SUM IT UP WHEN ASKED SO UPFRONT, BUT ALSO BECAUSE I’VE ”JUST BEEN DOING THESE THINGS”. WHAT I MEAN BY THIS IS THAT FOR A WHILE I HAVEN’T THOUGHT OF THE BIGGER PICTURE, THE BIGGER WHY, DREAM PICTURE… WHATEVER YOU WISH TO CALL IT, I’VE HAD THIS THOUGHT REPEATING IN MY HEAD – WHAT IS MY PICTURE PERFECT, THE DREAM? WHAT DO I ACTUALLY WANT? SOMETHING DEEPER.
WHAT I WOULD ALWAYS ANSWER TO THAT WOULD BE TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON EARTH AND LEAVE IT PRETTIER THAN WHEN I GOT HERE. TO GIVE OUT SOMETHING THAT LEAVES A VALUABLE IMPRINT. TO SHOW PEOPLE THE BETTER EARTH, THE BETTER FUTURE. THE POSSIBILITIES.
BUT WHY DO I TRULY WANT THIS?
THIS WAS THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING WHY I DO WHAT I DO.
IT IS BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT TO GIVE.
I HAVE A LOT TO SHARE.
IT LEAVES ME FULFILLED TO SEE THAT SATISFACTION IN OTHERS, TO AFFECT PEOPLE IN A POSITIVE WAY.
BUT I HAD FORGOT SOMETHING ON THE WAY.
I’VE EXPERIENCED A LOT OF LONELINESS IN MY LIFE AND I’M QUITE INTROVERTED IN NATURE. I’VE ALSO EXPERIENCED TRAUMATIZING EVENTS IN REGARDS TO PEOPLE AND RELATIONSHIPS. THAT’S WHY I’VE DISTANCED MYSELF FROM ONE ON ONE RELATIONSHIPS IN THE ROMANCE VIEWPOINT. IT HASN’T BEEN A PRIORITY NOR A DREAM PER SE. I’VE NEVER REALLY EXPERIENCED A BALANCED RELATIONSHIP IN A ROMANTIC WAY, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE A LOT OF LOVE TO GIVE. I USED TO GRIEVE THIS BECAUSE IT SOUNDS VERY SAD. BUT IT HAS HELPED ME TO FIND AN OUTLET FOR THAT LOVE IN OTHER PLACES. I NEVER LET THIS BRING ME DOWN OR MAKE ME FEEL UNWORTHY.
FOR A LONG TIME I HAD ALL THESE IDEAS OF A PERFECT PARTNER AND NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT YEARS LATER, IT SEEMS SUPERFICIAL AND ODD. ONCE I CAME OUT AND SHIFTED TO JUST FEELING INSTEAD OF PUSHING THINGS AND PEOPLE AWAY, THERE NO LONGER WAS A BOX TO FIT ROMANCE IN.
THE WORMHOLE IS HERE TO TIE ALL OF THIS TOGETHER.
I MET MY CURRENT LOVE INTEREST LAST MAY, 2018, AFTER MAKING A WISH AT 00:00AM AND LITERALLY JUST MINUTES LATER AS I WENT TO TRAFFIC LIGHTS HE SAID HI TO ME IN THE CORNER OF THE CROSSING AND WE STARTED TALKING.
IT WAS ONE OF THOSE HAPPY ACCIDENTS THAT LED ONTO THIS INSIGHTFUL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN US TWO.
AS OF 2018 WE ARE STILL IN LOVE AND WILL MEET UP AGAIN SOON. I’M TELLING THIS STORY BECAUSE ALL ALONG I KNEW I MET HIM FOR A REASON AND KNEW I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WITH HIM. THIS WAY OF EXPERIENCING THIS FEELING IS UNLIKE MY OTHER RELATIONSHIPS AND LOVE INTERESTS PREVIOUSLY.
IN A SIMILAR WAY, A LOT OF THINGS JUST LINED UP IN SAM RIT AND IT WAS SOMEHOW A LOT MORE MYSTICAL THAN I EXPECTED IT TO BE. SOMETHING QUITE RANDOM FOR EXAMPLE IS THE FACT THAT LINDSAY HAS A LOT IN COMMON WITH MY DAD – THEY BOTH HAVE THEIR SUN IN THE SIGN OF SCORPIO, AND HAVE WORKED AS NURSES, ONLY DIFFERENCE BEING THAT MY DAD STILL WORKS THERE. I THINK IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT I MEET A LOT OF SCORPIO PEOPLE NO MATTER WHERE I GO AND IT’S A FASCINATING SIGN IN ASTROLOGY. FOR ME SCORPIO IS IN MY 4TH HOUSE OF HOME AND FAMILY SO MAYBE I JUST ”FEEL AT HOME” AROUND THESE MYSTERIOUS PEOPLE. AND THERE WAS A LOT OF THAT IN THE AIR IN RURAL THAILAND.
AT NIGHT THE SKY WOULD BE CLOUDLESS AND I COULD SEE THE STARS AND THE MOON TURNING TO IT’S SIDE WHILE RISING FOR THE NIGHT. I’VE GOT USED TO SEEING THE MOON VERTICALLY IN SKANDINAVIA. THE EFFECT THE MOON HAD ON INSECTS WAS ALSO QUITE HUGE, IT SEEMED THAT THEY WENT WACKY OVER THE MOON’S MOVEMENTS.
THROUGH MY TIME AT THE RESIDENCY I ALSO STARTED TO WORK ON MY ORACLE DECK – THE INSPIRING ALIEN ORACLE DECK. I HAVE CREATED MY TAROT DECK UNDER THE SAME INSPIRING ALIEN THEME SO THIS DECK WILL BE A SIBLING TO IT.
AFTER THIS RESIDENCY EXPERIENCE, I KNOW I’LL HAVE TO INCLUDE A CARD CALLED ”WORMHOLE” TO IT, WHICH COULD BE A DIGITAL COLLAGE/MANIPULATION OR ANOTHER VERSION OF THE WORK THAT I DID AT THE SCHOOL WHILE OBSERVING SURICHAI’S WORKING.
DIGITAL COLLAGE AND PHOTO MANIPULATION HAS BEEN A NEW ARTISTIC PURSUIT FOR ME AND I’VE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH IT.
I HAD A FEW BITS OF MY GRAPHIC ARTWORK IN MY TAROT DECK SO USING SOME OF THESE NEW ONES AND OTHER IMAGERY FROM THIS ART MEDIUM WOULD BE A COOL ADDITION TO MY ORACLE DECK. I MANAGED TO FINISH – OR GET VERY CLOSE TO FINISHING – 6 CARDS TO THIS DECK AND I’VE STARTED ON SEVERAL NEW ONES AS I RETURNED HOME. THESE CARDS HAVE A LOT OF COSMIC SYMBOLISM AND EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL CONCEPTS IN THEM INCLUDING DRAGONS, MERMAIDS, HUMAN INVENTIONS, AND SO ON. MY VISIT TO SAM RIT HAS DEFINITELY SPARKED A FLAME OF NEW IDEAS AND VISUALS TO ADD ONTO MY WORK IN THE NEAR FUTURE AS I BUILD ON THE DECK AND THE IMAGERY.
I’M SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE EXPERIENCED SAM RIT. IF YOU EVER HAVE A CHANCE TO VISIT, GO.
THE WRITER OF THIS BLOG POST GOES BY NAME INSPIRING ALIEN, CREATOR OF THE TAROT DECK INSPIRING ALIEN TAROT AND GUIDEBOOK.
INSPIRING ALIEN IS A VISIONARY AT HEART, INCREDIBLY PASSIONATE ABOUT COLOR AND THE COSMOS. THEY HAVE CREATED VLOGS ON YOUTUBE SINCE 2012 CONTINUING TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS OF LIVING MINDFULLY, EXPRESSING YOUR UNIQUENESS TO THE FULLEST, ON PLANET EARTH.
INSPIRING ALIEN 