Spot the Designer - Khajornsak Nakpan/ Thailand

What did you want to be when you were a child?

My family is small. They gave me the freedom to do whatever I want which is the best tool I could be given. That and my own talent enables me to achieve awards at different levels since I was in primary school. It inspires me to pursue my passion for art.

When have you started creating jewelry? How did this passion come about?

For my PhD. thesis, I did research on innovative biological material from the soil. The origin and abstract meaning of soil inspires me to create jewelry, an object which has sentimental meaning to us. It is like a philosophy for an ever-changing life. The symbol represents relationships between humans and nature, and respect for self and others. It also rebels against the past and attempts to create a balance in the present.

What was your first project or significant piece for you and from what point of view?

A Series of Chada project. It is a pilot project to integrate scientific and artistic knowledge to innovate and add value to materials through the creation of jewelry. It plays with locally available resources. It makes use of Streptomyces, bacteria found in soil, and synthesizes it to create cellulose fibre and melanin which is a biological material. The material is then used to create a ‘chada,’ a headdress used to indicate and represent the status of the wearer. The works “Chada Din” and “Shadow of Chada” combine the simplicity of soil and the elegance of chada. It is a contrast of something common that can represent nobility. The work “Humble” aims to represent an act of paying the highest respect. The aim is to create awareness when we must symbolically wear a headdress that indicates our status, position, and nobility. It is a reminder of the essence of being human. Where there is light, there is shadow. The material symbolizes equality.  

Chada Din

Shadow of Chada

Humble

How do you charge your batteries? What other passions and creative interests do you have?

I use every challenge and obstacle as a drive, trying to find a positive aspect amongst the struggle and despair to encourage people. The idea is combined with visual art, non-verbal language of aesthetics, to convey a deeper meaning than what the eyes can see to translate the meaning to the philosophy of sustainable living.

What does the connection between traditional manufacture and contemporary design mean to you?

Whether it is traditional or contemporary, the true value of an object is a magical connection. Time brings new things and takes lives away. Nonetheless, there is always a replacement. It is similar to, at one point in time, mass production answers the need of people at the time. There is a time when people long for a delicate and sophisticated way of living. The value just presents itself in a different form. Therefore, the making of traditional and contemporary jewelry which has an intellectual meaning is like passing on an unspoken relationship and imagination of an object.

Is there a self-portrait piece that speaks most about you?

The contemporary jewelry seen in this collection is a result of the innovative synthetization of melanin from soil to produce a substitute biomaterial. It highlights the uniqueness of soil which has a similar colour to human skin (and can be demonstrated by a scientific method.) It reflects the concepts of “self-esteem,” and of respecting others and nature. Everything in this world is interdependent. It is important that we are able to live together with balance and in harmony. The innovative material is made from soil which is from nature. It is biodegradable and becomes a part of nature again. In this piece of work, I use the amplituhedron shape to represent the concepts. Amplituhedron is a mathematically calculated geometric shape introduced by Nima Arkani-Hamed and Jaroslav Trnka. It is the innovation of 2013. The shape explains relationships between particles, the smallest unit of a living mechanism. I simplify it to convey the message.

Adorn Din : Innovative Synthesized Melanin from Soil

Is there any material which you have not worked with before and would like to give it a try?

I’m interested in “mold”. I like the idea that it grows from something which is dead. It can be used to demonstrate the life cycle – a circle of living, pain, survival, and disintegration. It embraces the meaning of memory through a piece of jewelry, an object which carries its duty and holds the sentimental value until it no longer does. What remains of it is just a memory and its meaning which lasts forever.

The new project : Innovative Synthesized Cellulose from Mold

How was the pandemic period for you as a jewelry designer?

The pandemic is like the wind. However, instead of breezing, it gusts through the world at an unprecedented scale. The pandemic does not only take lives but also is affecting nature significantly. As a jewelry designer, I try to create a piece of work that symbolizes intellect and raise awareness on living in harmony with nature and respect for a sustainable future.   

What do you see as the future of contemporary jewelry?

Contemporary jewelry should not only be used to adorn the body. It should also be a token of intellect. It should demonstrate an integration of different disciplines such as science, engineering etc. The use of advanced knowledge will be reflected through materials or being able to communicate its deeper meaning. It encourages people to grow aesthetically.

Find more about the designer Khajornsak Nakpan iNDiN