In her first solo exhibition, “Basement in Your Soul,” Napath Kuntaruck (aka “Fahfahs”) beautifully presents the human mind through art.
She compares it to various rooms in a house, including the basement, which represents the darkest and deepest part of our soul. Different states of the human mind are conveyed through 3 cute cartoon characters – Rainbow, Sunshine and Midnight.
Harmony – Shine your own light. Follow your own path.
Rainbow, a pastel pink girl, represents the positivity in Fahfahs. Sunshine is compared to a fairy that helps her when she is overwhelmed by negativity. And Midnight is like a devil who brings negative emotions, like loneliness or sadness.
“I wish for everyone to learn about their own “basement”. Everyone has a happy part and, if we explore deep down, we also see a dark part. Will you be aware of your own pain, accept it and then let it go?” Fahfahs asks.
The House – There exists floors unseen, rooms locked and feelings unread.
There are hidden rooms within the human soul, well-locked and unseen by others. Some days she feels sad and some days she feels broken, just like everyone else, Fahfahs said.
A picture of Midnight, covered with an oversized plaster, has a hidden message. When we are in physical pain we put on a plaster, but if we are mentally unwell it cannot be hidden or healed so easily.
Midnight Pain – The heart’s pain cannot be covered with a single plaster.
A sculpture called “Shabo”, a portmanteau word for “shadow” and “bear”, depicts Rainbow being dominated by a Bear and is about to transform into Midnight. This is compared to a human situation where external factors influence behaviour negatively.
A vulnerable character is called Crumble. It is midway between Sunshine transforming into Midnight – a representation of a broken self that appears happy on the outside.
Twinkle is an inspiring character who has its own light that represents an uplifting identity influenced by Rainbow and Sunshine. Fahfahs said she wants to convey that after one passes through negativity, one transforms into positivity, having learned valuable lessons.
When asked how Fahfahs takes care of her own mental well-being, she said she does what she enjoys, which is drawing. It puts her in the present and helps her let go of heavy thoughts.
Fahfahs added that when she feels down, she accepts the pain inside but does not let it linger. She takes the pain as a lesson, learns from it and finds ways to move forward.
Napath Kuntaruck (aka “Fahfahs”)
A graduate of Silpakorn University Faculty of Architecture, Fahfahs started drawing when she was young, entering contests and dreaming of sharing her art with others. To date, her artistic journey has been ten years.
In 2022, she joined a group art exhibition called “When Snowflakes Fall” in Bangkok, where she shared stories of the Snowy Fairy.
One of the characters that caught the attention of many viewers was Midnight – a sad fairy dressed in black. She said that people loved Midnight, because they could relate to feeling lonely or sad. Fahfahs hopes that her art will help people face their own struggles and find their way to happiness.
“Basement in Your Soul” is open for public viewing until 3 March 2024, at RCB Galleria 4 River City Bangkok.
by Neeranuch Kunakorn
