Pratchaya Phinthong at gb agency: Rare Earths and Global Critique

Pratchaya Phinthong's solo exhibition at gb agency in Paris, from September 8 to November 3, 2012, presents a starkly minimal scenography that belies a complex engagement with environmental and globalization issues. The Thai artist constructs conceptual bridges through form, material, and narrative, both real and fictional. His works reflect a politically and ecologically urgent discourse, drawing from his experiences with situations, stories, and individuals. Phinthong transforms the particular into the collective and political. One piece references the first seismometer, made of bronze balls that fell to signal earthquakes. Phinthong creates a black ball from rare earths—materials used in flat screens and batteries—critiquing overconsumption that slowly but persistently destabilizes the planet's ecological, economic, and human balance. This commitment is also evident in the exhibition 'Sleeping Sickness' at La Criée in Rennes, where he addresses the sleeping sickness epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa by proposing sustainable solutions. Phinthong's projects draw on scientific facts, myths, and everyday occurrences to convey a sensitive reflection on a world slipping through our fingers.