The Special Talks on
“Revisiting Japanese Yokai and Thai – Isan Spirits : Perspective on art, culture, belief, and creative industry.”
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The Japan Foundation, Bangkok, in collaboration with Creative Economy Agency (CEA) proudly present the special talks entitled “Revisiting Japanese Yokai, Thai Spirits, and Popular Isan Ghost: Perspectives on Art, Culture and Beliefs” onFriday 23 August 2024, 14:00 – 17:00 at TCDC Khon Kaen, Auditorium 1 Floor.
As a part of the “Yokai Parade: Supernatural Monsters from Japan” exhibition, currently being on display at TCDC Khon Kaen until 8 September 2024, this event is aimed at promoting and fostering a deeper mutual understanding of Japanese Yokai and Thai spirits while providing an opportunity for all attendance to learn and appreciate the rich cultural heritage and artistic expressions of spiritual cultures, focusing on their respective supernatural entities in Japan and Thailand.
On this occasion, Ms. Kikkawa Naoko(Online participation), Curator of the Miyoshi Mononoke Museum in Japan, will share the origin and cultural significance of Yokai in Japan, including the introduction of some Yokai stories. She will also unravel the historical context and contemporary development of Yokai culture and art, highlighting successful elements that have kept the essence of Yokai relevant in Japanese folklore and art. It is hoped that her insights and experiences will give rise to mutual learning and understanding of how Yokai culture can inform and inspire broader cultural narratives.
Similarly, Associate Professor Aphilak Kasempholkoon, from the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Mahidol University in Thailand, will present an engaging session on Thai spirits and monsters. He will delve into the origins and artistic expressions of these entities within Thai folklore, exploring their impact on cultural identity and local traditions. His presentation aims to spark a dialogue on how Thai spirits and monsters reflect the inherent values of Thai culture and how these values can be preserved and promoted in a rapidly changing world.
And exclusively at TCDC Khon Kaen, Assistant Professor Kham Chaturongakul, from the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Khon Kaen University, curator of the exhibition “Popular Isan Ghost Exhibition,” will participate in this discussion, and share the story of Isan Ghosts and beliefs in the Isan Region through creative works and creative industry.
The event will culminate in a collaborative discussion on the similarities and differences between Japanese and Thai – Isan spirits against varied social and cultural backgrounds in both countries. This comparative reflection will be explored through local folklore, stories, art, cultural, and extension to creative industry, emphasizing on how these traditions can survive while maintaining their inherent identities and cultures.
Schedule
| 13.30 – 14.00 | Registration |
| 14:00 – 15.20 | Greetings and talks
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| 15.20 – 15.35 | Break |
| 15.35 – 16.00 |
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| 16.00 – 17.00 | Discussion and Q&A |
| 17.00 | Conclusion |
About the speakers
Kikkawa Naoko (Online participation)
Born in 1982 in Hiroshima Prefecture, Kikkawa held her Master’s Degree majoring in modern Japanese art history from Showa Women University. She is currently working as a curator responsible for numerous exhibitions about Yokai culture such as Yokai Parade and Amabie and Amabiko as prophetic beasts at Yumoto Koichi Memorial JAPAN YOKAI MUSEUM (Miyoshi Mononoke Museum).
Aphilak Kasempholkoon
Graduated with PhD majoring in Thai literature from the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, Associate Professor Aphilak is currently a lecturer at the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Mahidol University, Thailand while being a committee member for various national and regional organization in realms of national literature and cultural heritage. His interests included folklore and cultural anthropology, local legends, rituals, traditions, literature, folk songs, cultural tourism and local wisdom.
Kham Chaturongakul
The Professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts Khon Kaen University is an expert in commercial art, graphic design, product branding, packaging, etc. Cultural Product Design Currently, it is paying attention and studying. Continuing the work and creative works along with the belief of ghosts in the Isan region.
About the interpreter
Siriporn Dansakun (Online participation)
She received her B.E. in Architecture, Architecture and Industrial Design Department, Faculty of Engineering, Chiba University, and M.E. in Architectural Planning, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Japan. She currently works as a lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture, Silpakorn University. Having collaborated with The Japan Foundation, Bangkok since 2018, she has helped in various projects, such as being the translator of the pamphlet for the exhibition entitled “Struggling Cities: from Japanese Urban Projects in the 1960s” and the interpreter for the film screening and talks of “Mlabri in the Woods.”
Co-organized by:
