Commonality Of Man

Been thinking lately of what I am trying to say with the Khon Thai project, what the message of the work is. I think partly its about my learning and trying to understand who the people of Thailand are, to understand the hearts of the people and to translate that into meaningful portraiture. It is also about how people from all levels of Thai society have a common thread that runs through them a common humanity that makes them all essentially the same. August Sander placed people into groups, he had the photographs (people) classified as types (45 types). I see Khon Thai as a non type project, sure they come from different economic classes, regions and at times religions but they are in essence the same, all people have a common humanity. I think that's the overall goal to show the sameness, the common traits of the people, not to show what separates but what connects.

Last night I thought of possibly expanding the project (like its not big enough already!!) into Cambodia. Cambodia and Thailand have a long history of fighting and animosity. As an outsider Farang in Thailand and Barang in Cambodia I see many common traits in the people. I often get asked in Cambodia what I think of Thailand and the Thai people versus Cambodia and the Cambodian people. What I see is that the people are very similar there is more that binds them than divides them. What if I did a series of work that showed that binding, that showed the commonality of the two peoples. Wouldn't it be great to have portraits of both countries people side by side and then show those photographs in Bangkok and Phnom Penh, maybe it would speak to the viewers and help unite their viewpoints.

I have always felt uncomfortable with nationalism, how that ism divides and causes conflict, how it separates human beings who are essentially the same. To create a extensive series of photographs that connects us all, that shows the commonality of man, what could be better goal than that?

Not sure any of this is achievable but sometimes you just got to try, all I can do is give it my best effort, make the commitment and see what happens after that. One small step at a time will hopefully lead me to my destination.