With Have We Forgot? Charit Pusiri attempts to define Thainess through a series of photographic self-portraits.

How did you become a photographer?
I got a Bachelor degree in Computer Science but decided that science is not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life; art is what I really like. So I decided to pursue my dream and study art at Savannah College of Art and Design in the form that I’m most familiar with, photography.

What is the inspiration for this exhibition?
The question of Thainess because after all it is our root, our soul, our everything. Thainess is what makes us who we are. It is what makes us different from the rest of world. Most importantly, it is a heritage given to us by our beloved ancestors

You wear traditional outfits in your self-portraits. How can someone express Thainess in modern everyday life?
For my self-portraits, I also wore sneakers and sunglasses basically because I need to point out that the Thai thing doesn’t always have to be something serious or something boring. We can also express it in a fun style by changing our point of view. In the modern world, we can mix our Thai style with modernity. If we think Thai art is old, it will definitely die.

In your pictures, you express Thainess through costumes. Does Thainess also come from the inside?
Sure, Thai identity does not always have to be something about appearance but the Thai mind and Thai thought define a lot of who we are. Our parents teach us a lot on how to behave, to be helpful to everyone. The idea is that these thoughts will automatically lead us to be real Thais. Nowadays, teenagers are influenced by Western culture and Japanese and Korean pop culture. It’s not that bad to consume their style but at least they should realize our Thainess. Let’s not lose our own identity.

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