Phingbodhipakkiya’s Rivers of Renewal offers the opportunity to shed anguish and start over, letting go of whatever might weigh us down. Each April, Thai people celebrate the start of a new year during the Songkran festival, where everyone from children to elders takes part in throwing water at one another. The spirit of Songkran lives in this piece as visitors are invited to find release by throwing water at a cylindrical tapestry of mixed media and pigment. With every splash, the pigments run together creating rivulets and textures dripping from the tapestry onto the ground, creating a grand, layered commemoration of community catharsis. With this piece, we create a monument to restoration and renewal, celebrating the transformation that we’ve witnessed and the peace that follows.   

Music by Sugar Vendil for the participatory events on June 11 and June 12.