Shwe Wutt Hmon

2023-ongoing

The project's inception was a spontaneous response to my transition from urban life, as I became more attuned to the subtleties of nature, including plants, animals, and landscapes. It also represents my ongoing exploration of various forms of "NOISE," from the hallucinated sounds my family battles with to the choking air pollution during the notorious smog season in my lodging of Chiang Mai, Thailand. This particular perspective on "Noise" emerged during my travels between my artist residency at Rimbun Dahan, a 14-acre tropical garden just beyond Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Chiang Mai where I currently live throughout 2023.

The work comprises a photographic installation and simultaneous sonic soundscape, blending analog photography with scanner-generated images to portray the experience of noise being too close in the depicted environment. Color and monochrome images, captured through deliberate and unhurried analog photography, chronicle my daily exploration of the Rimbun Dahan garden. Gathered fragments of scattered flowers, leaves, and deceased insects from the garden are thoughtfully positioned onto printed photographs, adding an extra layer of imagery through the use of a scanner. These images convey a narrative of personal closeness and meticulous observation of nature's nuances and intricate elements. An experimental video interweaves a visual narrative with footage from the Rimbun Dahan garden and archival materials illustrating air pollution in northern Thailand and pressing environmental deterioration in Myanmar, all of which I call home.

"Noises Are Too Close Here" intimately explores an individual's journey from unfamiliarity with the ecological realm to a deep connection with nature. This transformation unfolds amidst the intricate nuances of flora and fauna within a tropical garden over a period of time. The work serves as a unique introspection, delving into my personal narrative and the alarming experience that noise intensifies during a stroll through a tranquil environment of a tropical garden. It encourages contemplation of how we, as human beings, have significantly harmed our natural world and raises the question of whether there remains an opportunity to mend and safeguard our ecosystem.