Tada Hengsapkul

b. 1987 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
Lives in Bangkok, Thailand

 

Working across a range of diverse media, Tada Hengsapkul investigates the tensions between control and dissent, establishing his practice as a mode of radical resistance in itself. First reaching critical acclaim for his photographic and video works, Hengsapkul’s oeuvre has long been underscored by extensive political research. Engaging with official archives, informal discourse, and popular media, he has sharply addressed the themes of nationalism, democracy, and military control. Though grounded in political history, his works are also intimately autobiographical, often citing personal relationships and sites from his hometown in Northeast Thailand that were affected by war and authoritarian power. In recent years, Hengsapkul has pivoted towards a dynamic abstract approach, combining en-plein-air and pyrotechnic methods. Employing smoke bombs, fireworks, and gunpowder, the works allude to its materials’ centrality in global protest culture, forming provocative yet melodic imagery. Despite the variance of his chosen materials, his practices is united in their advocacy for freedom and agency. Hengsapkul’s works ultimately extend beyond their roots in Thailand and its history, maintaining universal relevance in a contemporary landscape where censorship and omission are becoming increasingly rampant.