From Nomad to Nowhere

From Nomad to Nowhere, broaches the impact of capitalist intervention on the once harmonious connection between the fishing community and their seaborne surroundings. In the southern region of Thailand, nestled where the Bang Nara River meets the Gulf of Thailand, lies a fishing village at the heart of Narathiwat where the descendants of sea nomads reside. Historically, the sea peoples were nomadic, sailing along coastal deltas and islands throughout the year, their livelihoods intertwined with the sea’s rhythms. However, urbanisation and land reclamation have created a constant state of residential conflict and unbelonging for the community.

The delta, with its fertile water, became a semi-permanent home for some nomadic fishermen, despite the risks of land erosion. When the relocation was called for, they would move to the nearby vacant islands. Their livelihood was flexible. The acceleration of urban development brought in more people from diverse origins. The once “flexible” relationship with the land was no longer sustainable. It became fraught with conflict. The fishermen now find themselves on scattered pieces of land in the delta, facing overcrowding as the population grows. More houses were built, some even extended over canals and rivers. The land they currently reside on is either under the jurisdiction of the Marine Department (กรมเจ้าท่า), making their presence debatable, or owned by local magnates who can afford and arrange for land reclamation, gradually expanding their holdings year by year.

In addition, the coastal landscape has undergone a radical transformation. When the fishermen are at sea, they eye mountains on the land as their navigation guide to return home. Local mountains have been blasted to gravels to produce construction materials. Sand dunes have been dredged. Erosion barriers have been fortified. Some land reclamation projects have further altered the characteristics of coastline and rivers, using rock and sand to reshape the land for human use. This drastic change has undermined the bounty of the land and the bonding with people who once harmonised with it.

Prach Pimarnman’s work captures the tension between the disappearing natural landscape and the vulnerable yet resilient community. The increasingly restricted livelihood of the community is translated in the rectangular shapes of the frames. The mark makings and traces of discarded rugged fishing nets on the artwork’s thick surface represent the Bang Nara fishing communities. Inevitably, the marks left behind by structured squares of the iron mesh grids symbolise the encroaching cityscape that is slowly wiping out the village and its way of life. The artist sources materials local to the fisherman village such as sea shells, bricks, and charcoal then pound and sieve them to create natural pigments. He also uses discarded villager’s materials such as torn fishing nets and iron mesh to create mark makings. The usage of colour pattern alludes to choropleth map. The artworks are tense in surface texture, from a mixture of local white clay and other materials, bringing to mind the geographical body of the sea and the land.

Another striking piece in From Nomad to Nowhere is a motor driven artwork installed in a contained environment that simulates a mini storm at intervals. The elements inside the storm box comprising debris like the broken shells, red bricks, and charcoal are spun out of control when the storm hits and scattered in a mess when the storm ceases. At every interval, the debris settles in a new configuration, evoking a sense of disarray. The aftermath of the storm reflects the shifting naturescape shaped by coercive forces, leading to unplanned results that no one cares to hold responsibility for.

In addition to his tactile artworks, Prach’s video documentary complements his exploration on the gradual erosion of both the physical and cultural landscapes. The film captures footage of sand dredging boats and massive coastal barriers, which, though designed to protect the shoreline from erosion, also restrict access to areas where boats once easily moored. The coastal barriers impose rigid structures on fluid ecosystems. This alteration reverberates through the environment, affecting how natural forces interact and eroding the delicate balance that once existed between the land, the sea, and its people.

Prach’s art stands as both a memorial to what has been lost and a call to recognise the profound impact that unchecked urbanisation has on fragile communities. Through his use of local, discarded materials and neglected memories, he mirrors the community’s struggle to preserve their way of life amid the influx of capitalism. His work serves as a poignant reminder of the precarious state between humans and nature in the present time. As the landscapes of Narathiwat continue to shift, the bond between the sea people and their seaborne tradition weakens beyond their control. Yet, through the traces they leave behind—in both material and memory—the resilience of their culture endures, even as the world around them changes beyond recognition.