The ARTist in the Closet Project proudly presents:

Foreign Lands 

An exhibition of unseen photographs by Tan Chin – M.C. Subhasvasti Svasti

Curated by: Manit Sriwanichpoom

The old photo album, embossed and leather-bound, is thick and heavy — 2.3 kg to be precise. 

Inside, on every page from cover to cover, are 143 black-and-white photographs, printed on special sepia-toned paper with a textured patterned surface in the style fashionable at the time. The photographer has meticulously enlarged, printed and preserved his work. Close inspection reveals the quality of the photography to be quite remarkable. Created between 1934 – 1952, the work of Tan Chin – M.C. Subhasvasti Svasti, this album was found in a tin box amidst piles of other ancestral relics in the home of renowned contemporary artist Jakkai Siributr, Tan Chin’s youngest grandson.

Who would have thought that a man who graduated from military and police studies would’ve possessed a profound understanding of the art of pictorial photography and Russian avant-garde photography at the start of the 20th century? For example, a photograph of people ascending stairs captured from a bird’s-eye perspective features a tilted camera angle, giving a diagonal composition from left to right. It depicts a woman in black, a young sailor, and an elderly man in a black cloak all moving up the stairs in the same direction. This type of image adheres to Russian avant-garde photography principles, showcasing an unusual tilted camera angle that creates diagonal or geometric lines, evoking a sense of dynamic motion. The portrait series is also outstanding, with low-angle camera shots that make the subject look dignified and natural. The use of lighting and shadows adds a dramatic atmosphere to the images, reminiscent of a theatrical performance.

The “Foreign Lands” exhibition showcases a selection of photographs by Tan Chin, including 23 images taken while accompanying King Rama VII on his travels to various countries; 29 portraits of individuals and families, and 5 still life pieces.

Curator Manit Sriwanichpoom says of the discovery of this album: “This is a missing jigsaw piece in the history of Thai photography. The outstanding works of Tan Chin tell us that there are still talented photographers from the past, whether nobility or commoners, professionals or amateurs, who remain to be discovered. Their work may be tucked away in chests in various homes.”

Tan Chin – M.C. Subhasvasti Svasti (1900 – 1967) graduated from Woolwich Military Academy and the Scotland Yard Police Investigation Course. He served as royal guard to King Rama VII and Queen Rambhai Barni; was a leader of the Free Thai Movement during World War II (1941 – 1945), after the war becoming Pridi Banomyong’s ambassador to the UN. After Pridi went into exile, Tan Chin became the gentleman farmer of Suan Sema, an innovative vegetable farm in Petchburi.  Now appreciated for his essential role as witness to and recorder of forbidden Thai history, Tan Chin came to art, both painting and photography, relatively late in life—in his 30’s and 40’s, while living with King Rama VII in exile in England. 

Galerie Oasis, 4 Sukhumvit 43, Bangkok 10110, THAILAND.  

Open only Thursday – Sunday, 12.00 – 18.00 h.