Yantra
‘Yantra’ is an immersive work incorporating photography, film, sound and installations, inspired by the talismanic Thai tattoo tradition, known as Sak Yant.
Background: For centuries, Thai people have believed in the power of talismanic tattoos. The tradition was handed down by generations of tattoo masters who create the designs and empower them with prayers.Each year devotees pay respects to their tattoo masters at the Wai Khru (master day) ceremony. The devotees enter a state of trance known as Khong Khuen (animal spirit possession), when they are taken over by the spirit of their tattoos.
A personal interest in neuroscience and specifically altered states of consciousness prompted Cedric to delve deeper into the project and produce a film. The film is shot during the ceremonies known as Wai Khru (master day) where the devotees come to honour their masters and to recharge the power of their tattoos, and focusses on the state of trance the devotees enter.
Gathered over several years, the substantial amount of footage and sound material, has made it possible to create multiple versions of what is ultimately aimed at being the most immersive possible experience of the Wai Khru ceremonies. The film is a cinema ready short film, it is also a museum ready shorter looping display cut, and it is a multichannel immersive installation work with surround sound and objects.
The ceremonies are, for the most part focused on empowering the tattoos, but the master is not just a tattooist, he is also seen an astrologist, a mentor, a spiritual guide, a shaman. Women come for relationship advice, to get newborns blessed. Boxers to get gloves or a belt blessed, an amulet, anything precious. Many come for advice on choosing the most auspicious day to open a shop, or even buy a car or property.
In a culture deeply rooted in superstition, where a genuine fear of evil spirits still exists, the role of shaman, or magicians is seen as a serious matter.
Exhibitions
National Gallery, Bangkok | Trance / Figuration – July 1st to Aug 22, 2022
Caxia Forum, Barcelona | May 18, 2022 to Aug 28 2022
Photo London, Somerset House, London | May 12-15th 2022
Caxia Forum, Madrid | Dec 3, 2021 to Apr 15 2022
Espace Lympia, Nice | June 26, 2021 to Oct 31st 2021
Musée Jean-Claude Boulard – Carré Plantagenêt, Le Mans | Dec 18, 2020 to June 6, 2021
Pushkin Museum, Moscow | ‘Tattoo’ – March 2 to Sept 27, 2020
Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts | ‘Tattoo’ Sept 27 2019 – Feb 20 2020
Design Museum, Ghent | ‘A Wild Thing’ May 19 2017 – May 2021
Kyoto University / CSEAS, Kyoto | ‘Yantra’ – Dec 2018
Natural History Museum, Los Angeles | ‘Tattoos’Nov 19 2017 – Apr 15 2018
Asia Culture Center, Gwangju | ‘Tattooed Asia’ Nov 25 2017 – July 29 2018
Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam | ‘Body Art II’, March 2017 – Aug 2018
Galerie Artima, Paris | ‘Black & White’ June 1st – July 9th 2017
Field Museum, Chicago | ‘Tattoos’ Oct 17, 2016 – Sept 4, 2017
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto | ‘Tattoos’ April to Sept 2016
MAS | Museum aan de Stroom, Antwerp | ‘Body Art’ Feb 16 – April 17 2016
Museum of Folk Art, Santa Fe | ‘Sacred Realm’ Feb 28, 2016 to March 19, 2017
London Art Fair | Jan 16-20 2016
Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam | ‘Body Art’, March 20th | August 20th 2015
Musée du Quai Branly, Paris | ‘Tatoueurs, tatoués’, May 6th 2014 | Oct 18th 2015
Galerie Olivier Waltman, Paris | ‘Yantra: The Sacred ink’ May-Jun 2014
Galerie Olivier Waltman, London Art Fair, Jan 2014
Festival Photo Saint-Germain-des-Prés Galerie Olivier Waltman, Paris | Nov 2013
Le Magasin de Jouets, Arles | ‘Sacred Ink’ July – Sept 2013
SNAP Photo Festival, Orlando | ‘Sacred Ink’ May 2013
Farmani Gallery, Bangkok | ‘Sacred Ink’ Nov 2012 – Jan 2013
Brunei Gallery London – SOAS | ‘Sacred Ink, The Tattoo Master’ Oct Dec 2012
Chulalongkorn University Art Centre Bangkok | ‘Sacred Ink’ May 2011
Film Screenings
El Museo Cultural, Currents New Media, Santa Fe, June 13 & 20 2019
Festival Signes de Nuit, Bangkok & Thai Film Archive, June 22-30, 2019
SESIFF, Seoul, South Korea | Sept 12 & 15 2018
Balinale, Bali, Indonesia | Sept 28 2018
Natural History Museum, Los Angeles |Nov 19 2017 – Apr 15 2018
Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam |March 2017 – Aug 2018
Alliance Française, Bangkok | Sept 14, 2017
Field Museum | Chicago Oct 17, 2016 – April 30, 2017
Museum of Folk Art, Santa Fe | Feb 28, 2016 to March 19, 2017
Royal Ontario Museum, Ontario | April to Sept 2016
MAS | Museum aan de Stroom, Antwerp | Feb 16 – April 17 2016
Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam | March 20th – August 20th 2015
Musée du Quai Branly, Paris | May 6th 2014 – Oct 18th 2015
Galerie Olivier Waltman, Paris | May-Jun 2014
Public collections
British Library Collections
SOAS, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London