Thai artist Jakkai Siributr is using lockdown to take commissions for artfully embroidered jackets. One of these is for the venerable Vipoo Srivilasa.
The Phayao a Porter project aims to help the artisans who have suffered economically during the pandemic by giving them some temporary employment for their craft and 30% from the sales of each jacket goes back to the community as scholarships, welfare and emergency funds.
Jakkai Siributr gives his side of the story:
The flame appliqué and jacket were first sent to Phayao in northern Thailand to be worked on. Then we communicated via Line re progress, hence the name of the project ‘Phayao a Porter’—that’s one of the ladies who usually work on these pieces. So basically there are two parts for each piece: they are worked on first by my studio assistants and then sent to be completed in Phayao or vice versa.
In this case, it was first sent to Phayao and then completed in the studio, because not all the women in Phayao have the skills to embroider or bead the way I want it. So I normally find easier tasks for the women up north to do.
Rattanaporn Ratchasima at working making the decorations for the jacket
And now from Vipoo Srivilasa:
✿ Why did you want “Burn Baby Burn” on the jacket?
The theme fits well with the work I was making at the time when the commission starts. It was about hell and the hungry ghost. The Burn Baby Burn features skull and fire, which also feature in my work.
✿How did you find the process of commissioning the jacket?
Quite simple really. We chat over IG message and Line to identify what I want. It is exciting to see what the jacket will look like.
It was great to have his work that was specially made for me. I have quite a few of his works at home but none of them specifically made for me. The jacket will be a special piece.
Jakkai and I grow up together and our career path and life journey are parallel to each other. White I commission him to make a jacket for me, I am making pot plant for his rare plant collection in return. The plant called Euporbia platyclada which always looks dead. Jakkai calls it a “corpse plant” so I made a pot plant with skulls and dead soul decoration.
Vipoo Srivilasa, Hungry Ghost, 2021
