Practice

Lets begin with some notes from my summer project, a written diary of scribbles of little nothings that I experienced and felt whilst traveling around parts of Southeast Asia. The backbone of which has formed my intrigue for this project.

Deities Shrines and Talisments
Southeast Asia, Buddhism and religion
Offerings and Sacrifices? Orange flowers? Offerings to the buddha.
Candlesticks and incense?
Drangons and Elephants?
Palm readers and fire eaters?
Demon explosions, catch a falling star.
Mythological landscapes, A space to dream.

Ancestoral Tombs and Demon Gates.
The unicorn a protector?
The spirit and the spiritual.
Greenery is important, an offering of life?
I like bearded trees.
A makeshift sensibility. A diy ethic.

Whats hiding in the jungle? Tigers and forest spirits.
Explore what the bird house type things are.
House spirits and fire dancing
Its about sound to.. wind chimes and chanting
Windchimes and bells.
Bells and gongs. How to make a bell? A subtle tinkle.

The contrast of the spiritual and the evil.
Stretching hands demon and sinner.
Stretching out of hell. I like the stretch.

Flying fish. A three dimensional world.

The above is an edit of thoughts. A plucked version of my journal. From this I have been able to pick up points of notice that I want to explore further back in the real world.

Spirit Houses
Something that really caught my attention was "the bird house type things". Spirit houses, you see them everywhere around Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. A shrine to the protective spirit of a place. They are fabulous creations, little houses on stilts. They are considered a very important ritual and vital in the success and happiness of a place. The idea is for the spirit to live within and what really intrigues me about it is how they fit it out for that purpose. Figurines of caretakers, dancers for entertainment, elephants and horses for transportation and pets are all placed inside. As well as frequent offerings of flower garlands and food.
To build a spirit house. I like the steps that run up to the house. I like the thought of a spirit living inside.


Religion 
The religion whilst we were traveling around I did not quite understand, especially whilst in Thailand. I was aware that the country was predominantly Buddhist but I didn't quite understand. In hindsight I have now learnt that it seems to form into a collaboration. Animism is an old religion, the belief that everything has a spirit, there to help or to hinder humans, therefore to succeed in life the spirits must remain appeased. This is still evident in Southeast Asia, in the spirit houses and the wrapping of trees and vehicles and long boats. It is all beautifully colourful, offerings crafted in a makeshift sensibility. There is also the presence of alot of Hindu iconography as Hinduism has been important in the country in various stages of its past. (A point I am keen to follow is the story of the Ramakien which is a Thai version of the famous Hindu Ramayana.) Therefore Hindu deities are also worshiped in Thailand alongside Buddhism. Gods such as Ganesha, Shiva and Inda appear frequently. It is this collaboration that so interests me, a collaboration of individually beautiful deities but together a new iconography, a beauty for the eyes. I want to explore this idea of collaboration further.


To move froward.
Offerings
I want begin my exploration with looking at offerings.
The main offerings i observed were flower garlands, figurines, incense, candles and food. Offerings made out of accessible materials, accessible to all. The beautiful flower garlands constructed out of flowers and folded ribbon. Making beautiful ribbon star bows. We were given a flower garland which was made out of polystyrene balls, plastic string and flowers. Something so simply and cheaply crafted that looked so beautifully effective. It is this pursuit of makeshift materials and techniques I have began my experimentation into. Starting with the construction of ribbon bows and the knotting techniques used to make friendship bracelets, (another simple yet effective way of creating). Looking at all these individual techniques with the hope of a build and collaboration.