“Mae Nam”, the solo exhibition by Tsai Kuen-Lin, transforms the sounds of Thailand’s rivers into living art.

During his residency, Tsai Kuen-Lin recorded underwater sounds from the Chao Phraya River, the Ping River, and Ang Kaew Lake, capturing the rhythms of the water and the communities that rely on it. The title “Mae Nam” (Mother Water) reflects the artist’s vision of water not just as a natural element, but as a “living archive of memory.”

At the Front Room, SAC Gallery, these recordings come to life through ceramic sculptures, paintings, and prints. The ceramic pieces take on small, organic forms that seem to breathe, the paintings capture fleeting light, shadow, and atmosphere, and the prints reveal subtle, invisible connections between sound, landscape, and memory.

Moving away from PVC pipes used in previous outdoor installations, Tsai Kuen-Lin now works with clay and ceramics, incorporating traces from the very locations where he recorded the sounds. In this way, sound and material merge into one, expressing the wind, earth, water, and fire of the local environment.

For Tsai Kuen-Lin, “Mae Nam” is an exploration of perception and reflection through togetherness. The recorded underwater sounds may seem abstract and easy to overlook, yet they carry hidden meanings that extend beyond ordinary hearing.

As visitors move through the exhibition, the works gradually flow together like multiple rivers converging into the Chao Phraya, creating a layered artistic landscape of sound, light, colour, and material. The exhibition invites viewers to open their minds, immerse themselves, and experience the world through the artist’s eyes.

“Mae Nam” is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Taiwan, and runs from 1 November 2025 – 10 January 2026 at the Front Room, SAC Gallery.

The opening reception will take place on Saturday, 1 November 2025, from 18:00 – 21:00.