Natkritta (Kita) Chanmee
Natkritta (Kita) Chanmee, also works under the pseudonym of ‘kitabeing’. She is a graphic designer, illustrator and portrait photographer based in Edinburgh, Scotland. She is currently completing a Master’s degree in Curatorial Practice (Contemporary Art), jointly run by the Glasgow School of Art and the University of Glasgow, and received her BDes (Bachelor of Design) Graphic Design from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design in 2021. She centres her work around ways in which creative practices are made public through various approach of publishing, including artists books, zines and beyond. She also engages in the aesthetics and philosophical concepts rooted in East Asian culture, continuously researches and expresses her passion for the intersections between different art forms and cultural influences, particularly through printed publications as a site for exhibiting artworks.
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My curatorial approach involves an ongoing exploration into the significance of cultural expressions and ways people express their values, identity and perspective through different forms of creativity and communication. Much of my work appears in publishing form, where I actively participate in the process of writing, editing and designing. I have also delved into the connections between creativity and the study of philosophy, particularly about the existence, values, and knowledge embedded in different cultures. Through my projects, I strive to unravel the depths of human nature, delving into the intricacies of our thoughts and emotions through the transformative power of art. By working collaboratively with both artists and non-artists, my recent curatorial publishing project celebrates the notion of l’art pour l’art (art for art’s sake), as I believe that art can be created by anyone. My practice stretches beyond traditional boundaries, blurring the lines between creativity and everyday life, empowering individuals to express their unique perspectives and experiences.
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[post_content] => Uncomfortable Encounters is an exhibition that seeks to explore how different environments make us behave, with a focus on the feeling of being outside of one’s comfort zone and how this is impacted upon by factors such as identity, slippages in time, orientation and memory. Engaging with themes of psycho-geography, storytelling and narrative-mapping, we have invited the following three artists, Hsiao-Hsuan Yang, Ellen Crofton and Chih-Kang Hsu, to respond to a moment of unease they have experienced when navigating the city of Glasgow. These works were showcased in the form of an installation and zine launch, in an effort to collage a reimagined Glasgow based on the artists’ experience of the city.
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[post_content] => This is a project submitted for cross-school electives in semester 2 – popular culture & creative practice.
*
The Dark Side of K-pop: Navigating through the consequences of being a K-pop idol: mental health, beauty standards and social norms.
The growth of South Korea’s popular culture, or Hallyu, has become an international recognition since the 1990s. This includes everything from music, drama, fashion to traditional cuisine. However, it was not a global recognition until the release of PSY’s Gangnam Style in 2012. The energetic beat and an unforgettable lyric of ‘Oppa Gangnam Style’ soon became a world-wide sensation that broke the music industry, not only in South Korea but around the world. Besides, it was the first video that reached 1 billion views on YouTube, only 159 days after its premiere. In recent years, the K-pop industry has gained a significant popularity due to many reasons including the high-quality production, catchy melodies, intricate choreography and flawless beauty. The dark side of K-pop, however, navigates through the not-so-pretty side of South Korea’s music and entertainment industry, through mental health, beauty standards and social norms.
The creative outcome for The dark side of K-pop is a black-and-white, digital typographic zine that shares stories, case studies and interviews on the challenges K-pop idols have to face. The colour choice represents opposing forces and dualism within the South Korean entertainment industry, whether that is good and bad, or life and death. In this context, the duality in K-pop refers to what we see and what we don’t see as there are many aspects that occur behind the scenes, which are unreleased to the public.
While K-pop is a global phenomenon, it also has many dark sides that are concealed to the public. The problems discussed in this supporting statement are just a fraction of the larger issue, and there are several topics that need to be addressed such as anti-fans, stalkers, labour exploitation and work-life-balance. In my perspective, the intense pressure to maintain a perfect image is a red flag in the industry. Overall, while K-pop may appear glamourous on the surface, it is also essential to acknowledge the darker sides of the industry.
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[post_content] => For the time being is a project that delves into the Japanese aesthetics and philosophy, taking the form of a thoughtfully crafted printed publication. The project serves as a guide for readers from different ethnicities and cultures, inviting them to explore the profound Japanese concept through photography. It explores the connections between creativity and the study of philosophy, particularly in relation to the existence, values, and knowledge embedded in different cultures. Emphasising the art of appreciating imperfection and fleeting moments, through the lens of participants from the art and design field, to engineer. Immerse yourself into this journey of Wabi-Sabi, photography and the power of prints.
As I have undertaken research to discover that Wabi-Sabi was rooted from the tea ceremony, therefore, I incorporated a glimpse of the ceremonial into the publication packaging to enhance the concept: loose tea leaves, dried rose petals and a tea bag. With an intimate, closed-group audience, each package is customised with the participant’s name. Altogether, the publication is a medium, gallery space, exhibition and an event itself.
*
This project embraces the essence of Wabi-Sabi, a traditional Japanese philosophy and aesthetic movement which later evolved as a design principle within the field of interior design, architecture, lifestyle and more. The origins of Wabi-Sabi can be traced back to the 16th century, formed by Sen no Rikyu (1522 – 1591), a Japanese historical figure who theorised the tea ceremony that is still practiced in contemporary Japan. While there are several versions of the tea ceremony that exist today, the core principles remain unchanged. That is to cultivate a state of mindfulness, create a serene environment, strive for purity in both the physical and spiritual sense, achieve a peaceful atmosphere through every aspect of the ceremony, and lastly, show respect to each other in the tearoom. Although things progressed and developed through time, the purpose remains.
For the time being is a fragile, handmade publication that celebrates Wabi-Sabi through the lens of photography produced by participants from different fields. This includes architecture, fine art, photography, visual communication, curatorial practice and engineering. In reality, Wabi-Sabi can be appreciated and embraced by anyone, regardless of their background or cultural upbringing. Wabi-Sabi offers a unique perspective on simplicity, imperfection, ephemerality and the nature of everyday things. It is an intangible feeling that goes beyond the beauty of an object or environment that remains relevant in today’s society. This idea teaches us that life is not about obtaining perfection but celebrating imperfection. The same goes for this handmade publication where it should be taken with care, as the pages can fall apart anytime – and that is part of the concept of Wabi-Sabi.
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Uncomfortable Encounters
Uncomfortable Encounters is an exhibition that seeks to explore how different environments make us behave, with a focus on the feeling of being outside of one’s comfort zone and how this is impacted upon by factors such as identity, slippages in time, orientation and memory. Engaging with themes of psycho-geography, storytelling and narrative-mapping, we have invited the following three artists, Hsiao-Hsuan Yang, Ellen Crofton and Chih-Kang Hsu, to respond to a moment of unease they have experienced when navigating the city of Glasgow. These works were showcased in the form of an installation and zine launch, in an effort to collage a reimagined Glasgow based on the artists’ experience of the city.
The Dark Side of K-pop (Digital Zine)
This is a project submitted for cross-school electives in semester 2 – popular culture & creative practice.
*
The Dark Side of K-pop: Navigating through the consequences of being a K-pop idol: mental health, beauty standards and social norms.
The growth of South Korea’s popular culture, or Hallyu, has become an international recognition since the 1990s. This includes everything from music, drama, fashion to traditional cuisine. However, it was not a global recognition until the release of PSY’s Gangnam Style in 2012. The energetic beat and an unforgettable lyric of ‘Oppa Gangnam Style’ soon became a world-wide sensation that broke the music industry, not only in South Korea but around the world. Besides, it was the first video that reached 1 billion views on YouTube, only 159 days after its premiere. In recent years, the K-pop industry has gained a significant popularity due to many reasons including the high-quality production, catchy melodies, intricate choreography and flawless beauty. The dark side of K-pop, however, navigates through the not-so-pretty side of South Korea’s music and entertainment industry, through mental health, beauty standards and social norms.
The creative outcome for The dark side of K-pop is a black-and-white, digital typographic zine that shares stories, case studies and interviews on the challenges K-pop idols have to face. The colour choice represents opposing forces and dualism within the South Korean entertainment industry, whether that is good and bad, or life and death. In this context, the duality in K-pop refers to what we see and what we don’t see as there are many aspects that occur behind the scenes, which are unreleased to the public.
While K-pop is a global phenomenon, it also has many dark sides that are concealed to the public. The problems discussed in this supporting statement are just a fraction of the larger issue, and there are several topics that need to be addressed such as anti-fans, stalkers, labour exploitation and work-life-balance. In my perspective, the intense pressure to maintain a perfect image is a red flag in the industry. Overall, while K-pop may appear glamourous on the surface, it is also essential to acknowledge the darker sides of the industry.
For the time being.
For the time being is a project that delves into the Japanese aesthetics and philosophy, taking the form of a thoughtfully crafted printed publication. The project serves as a guide for readers from different ethnicities and cultures, inviting them to explore the profound Japanese concept through photography. It explores the connections between creativity and the study of philosophy, particularly in relation to the existence, values, and knowledge embedded in different cultures. Emphasising the art of appreciating imperfection and fleeting moments, through the lens of participants from the art and design field, to engineer. Immerse yourself into this journey of Wabi-Sabi, photography and the power of prints.
As I have undertaken research to discover that Wabi-Sabi was rooted from the tea ceremony, therefore, I incorporated a glimpse of the ceremonial into the publication packaging to enhance the concept: loose tea leaves, dried rose petals and a tea bag. With an intimate, closed-group audience, each package is customised with the participant’s name. Altogether, the publication is a medium, gallery space, exhibition and an event itself.
*
This project embraces the essence of Wabi-Sabi, a traditional Japanese philosophy and aesthetic movement which later evolved as a design principle within the field of interior design, architecture, lifestyle and more. The origins of Wabi-Sabi can be traced back to the 16th century, formed by Sen no Rikyu (1522 – 1591), a Japanese historical figure who theorised the tea ceremony that is still practiced in contemporary Japan. While there are several versions of the tea ceremony that exist today, the core principles remain unchanged. That is to cultivate a state of mindfulness, create a serene environment, strive for purity in both the physical and spiritual sense, achieve a peaceful atmosphere through every aspect of the ceremony, and lastly, show respect to each other in the tearoom. Although things progressed and developed through time, the purpose remains.
For the time being is a fragile, handmade publication that celebrates Wabi-Sabi through the lens of photography produced by participants from different fields. This includes architecture, fine art, photography, visual communication, curatorial practice and engineering. In reality, Wabi-Sabi can be appreciated and embraced by anyone, regardless of their background or cultural upbringing. Wabi-Sabi offers a unique perspective on simplicity, imperfection, ephemerality and the nature of everyday things. It is an intangible feeling that goes beyond the beauty of an object or environment that remains relevant in today’s society. This idea teaches us that life is not about obtaining perfection but celebrating imperfection. The same goes for this handmade publication where it should be taken with care, as the pages can fall apart anytime – and that is part of the concept of Wabi-Sabi.
