There is such a people – the Hmong. They lived in the mountainous regions of China, but they were systematically forced out to neighboring countries (Laos, Thailand, Vietnam), and during the war in Laos, many were forced to flee to Thailand. The Hmong are masters of embroidery, weaving and silverwork. There is a small Hmong market in Chiang Mai, we love to go there – a lot of all kinds of beauty (although gradually the real folk art is replacing the mass simplified market product). I recently met a woman there who was selling clothes atypical for Hmong crafts, on which drawings were applied with paint.
“Yes, you are a real artist!” – I say. “No,” she replies seriously and with surprisingly good English. “I just looked up on Youtube how to print on fabric and now I’m doing it.”
She introduced herself as Mint. Most likely, this is not a name given from birth, it is customary here to take names like nicknames so that the main thing does not sound in vain. My first massage teacher was called Padthai (it’s such a popular food in Thailand).
Mint lives not in Chiang Mai, but in Phayao, the capital of a neighboring province. Comes to trade. Many merchants here, like her, work right behind the counter – embroider, craft, create goods before our eyes. And they still eat, raise children, cut each other’s hair – in general, they live.
Her goods are not cheap by local standards – about 50 dollars. Wild money!
PS. Shooting in this market is not easy – there is very little light (and what a job, I think!), Therefore, some pictures came out blurry. But it seems – light, photography – a lie, I’ve been saying for a long time!
We met the second artist at a flea market. This couple in love in his paintings is a story from the wall paintings of Wata Phumin, in the city of Nan. Probably the most popular image, symbolizing at least the North of Thailand. They are replicated literally everywhere. This cheerful artist attracted us by the fact that he brought a fresh stream to the exploitation of the famous plot. He himself hails from Nana. I think it’s funny and cute. It’s good that Anucha Lanna Arts does not try to exactly copy the style of the author of the murals, then a fun game and irony appear.