文/申雁冰Laura Shen
距離泰國清邁30分鐘車程的泰北村莊Doi Saket是一座擁有六萬人的小縣城，遍佈稻田和山丘，空氣清新，竹林悠悠。土生土長的清邁人Sasiwimon Wongjarin在這裡開設了她的藝術民宿與工作室Studio 88 Art Residency，共有5座獨棟小木屋，住客可以在此小住數月，不僅可以創作藝術作品、寫作、參加手工坊，還能參觀當地的Com Peung獨立藝術家村、Maiiam當代美術館、村民手工藝中心，享受本地特色的花園理療按摩、溫泉療愈和登山徒步，將藝術創作與生態旅行結合，讓來客在清邁這座慢城享受藝術旅行的樂趣。我與創始人Sasiwomon Wongjarin(簡稱Aom)對話，與她暢談藝術旅行、藝術民宿以及清邁豐富多彩的創意產業。
申雁冰：清邁這座熱門旅遊城市有很多特色旅館和民宿，與之相比，Studio 88有什麼特別的?
Aom: Studio 88歡迎不同領域的創作者前來小住休憩，我對它的主題定位持開放態度，住客才是這裡的主人，他們有藝術家，還有作家、舞者，有專業從業者，也有業餘愛好者，每位住客都有不同的期待與目標。駐地由獨立私密的木屋構成，被花園包圍，每間木屋都包含一個工作室，住客可以自由使用。駐地還提供木藝工作坊、多功能廳等空間，可供練瑜伽、冥想或舞蹈排練。我們還能幫助住客體驗農家生活、遊覽農村風光，組織藝術論壇，探討藝術對社會的影響等話題.
申雁冰：妳如何定義住客呢？你覺得他們是藝術家還是遊客？如何挑選駐地申請人?
Aom: 住客雖然來自不同行業和領域，但他們有一個共同特點，就是無論對生活還是職業，都具有創造性思維和眼界。他們有人單獨前來，也有情侶、朋友、家庭結伴出遊，還有遊學的師生、出差工作的同事。在藝術駐地的實踐，也許是職業發展的一段經歷，也許是個人生活的一段插曲，但都是身心合一的創意旅行體驗。我會選擇那些認同Studio 88核心價值的申請者，認同藝術性和文化多樣性，有社會創新意識，願意與本地社區互動.
申雁冰: Studio 88將藝術創作和旅遊結合，雖說是藝術家工作室，卻也有點現在流行的「在酒店旅行」的味道。你當初是怎樣發起這個概念的，藝術與旅行是怎樣結合並互動的，你覺得藝術旅行模式未來有發展前景嗎，會如何影響清邁的旅遊業？
Aom: 我和家人經營過民宿生意，所以這藝術駐地的確有點「在酒店旅行」的那種體驗。以前經營民宿時，客戶就有藝術家，我還幫他們發展過藝術創作。漸漸的這樣的客人需求越來越多，於是我久順勢創辦了Studio 88，把它改造成一個藝術駐地，讓藝術家可以常住，這和短租民宿是不同的。我堅信藝術的軟實力，因為它能從根本上傳遞價值，吸引遊客遠道前來體驗風景、發掘文化精髓、體驗我們的生活方式。來的遊客越多，交流、分享與理解就越來越強，這種關係的鏈接與強化反過來又能推進我們的文化產業，給創意人才帶來發展機會，從而帶動泰國創意經濟。創意經濟在泰國也叫泰國4.0，是一項重要國家戰略，2009年GDP佔比13%，未來有望突破20%。清邁作為泰國第二大城市也是最受歡迎旅遊城市之一必將從中獲益。
申雁冰：清邁每年有大量遊客，這些遊客是不是也是藝術駐地的潛在消費者？清邁近年來在發展創新城市方面下了很多功夫，創意產業是否也在改變清邁的傳統旅遊業？以前人們來清邁就是看為了看看古跡、拜拜佛，但現在是不是能玩點新的，比如「創意旅遊」「創新出行」？藝術旅行能為清邁帶來哪些貢獻？
Aom: 我相信藝術平等，人人都能欣賞藝術，遊客當然可以成為藝術消費者，但不是人人都能當藝術家，都能有效利用藝術空間。清邁的創意資源非常豐富，有美食文化、工藝設計周、音樂節、科創中心，甚至休閒養老，有健康養生產品，也有現代醫療產品。不僅有創業機會，還有跨文化交流和志願者項目。近些年清邁的創意產業實現了跨越式發展。在有「博物館界奧斯卡」之稱的「領先文化目的地大獎」中，清邁的Maiiam當代美術館是首個獲此殊榮的泰國博物館。2018年清邁設計周匯聚了500多位泰國設計師和全球10國的創意工作者，全市舉辦200多場活動，旨在強化清邁作為「聯合國教科文組織工藝與民間藝術創意城市」的定位。清邁府的班湄村還是生態旅遊與自給自足經濟模範村，這個概念最早是已故泰王普密蓬提出的，自給自足經濟是一種平衡經濟、社會與環境的和諧發展模式。我希望Studio 88駐地可以回饋社會，它的使命才剛剛開始，我希望所有幫助Studio 88發展的人們也都能從它的發展中共享收穫。
LS: Chiang Mai is a popular tourism destination with so many boutique hotels and residences, how can Studio 88 differentiate itself, what makes it special and unique?
Aom: Studio 88 was founded as an open residency for creatives from different fields and walks of life, where the goals are defined by our residents, not by us. Our residents range from artisans to writers to dancers, professionals to amateurs and everything in-between. The goals and expectations are set by our residents. Studio 88 consists of individual bungalows set within a shared lush garden while still providing privacy when needed. Each bungalow has its own studio space that can be setup for the needs of the residents. There are also communal spaces like wood workshops and a 130m2 multi-purpose open-space that could turn into a meditation hall, yoga retreat or a dance floor. We also offer an active program to residents to explore the local countryside, town and village life if they so desire. We facilitate discussions about art and its relations with social change and impact.
LS: How do you define the customers of your project, are they artists or tourists? How do you select applicants for your residency?
Aom: Our residents are from all walks of life, who share a creative and holistic approach towards their life and or occupation. They are individuals, couples, families, friends, teachers and students, working groups and so on. The experience they have at our space and communities they engage with, is part of their professional or personal creative journey, both of the mind and body. When we select applicants we see if they are aligned with Studio 88’s core values; artistic approach and quality of work, cultural diversity and creative expression for social awareness, suitability to be and potentially to collaborate with local communities.
LS: Your project is a combination of art practice and tourism, it is specialized for artists on one hand, but also experienced like a “staycation”, a way for spending holidays, traveling and enjoying leisure. How do you come up with this idea and how art and tourism can mix and exchange? How do you expect its prospect and how will it influence Chiang Mai as both a creative city and a tourism city?
Aom: My family has a homestay business and made people feel more like a staycation. Among our guests, we have welcomed artists and supported them on their artistic and creative projects. With more requests, we have found Studio 88 Artist Residency and started a proper residency programme. I believe in the soft-power of the arts because it provides a more holistic way to promote our values and help others. Culture attracts visitors to experience the beauty of our landscapes, the treasures of our heritage and our way of life. The more visitors mean the more exchange, sharing and mutual understanding. This enables connection and lead to interwoven network that gives us the opportunity to promote our cultural and creative talents which play an important role in driving the country’s creative economy – a trend or national strategy that has become the country’s policy called Thailand 4.0. Chiangmai is the second biggest city and one of the country’s most attractive tourists’ destination. Based on the Thailand's National Strategy on Creative Economy: Creative industries comprise 13% of total GDP (2009) and the government intends to increase this to at least 20%. Chiang Mai has an opportunity to take a significant share of this growth.
LS: As Chiang Mai receives large amount of visitors each year, could tourists become potential customers for art residency? Chiang Mai has paid a lot efforts in building itself a creative city, with would creative industries help transform Chiang Mai’s traditional tourism industry, say go beyond the cliché of heritage sites or temples, but develop its own “creative travel”, “innovative tourism” ? How do you expect art tourism contribute to Chiang Mai?
Aom: I believe that art is for all and art appreciation can be expressed in different levels and through many art forms. Thus, for sure tourists could become potential customers for the art sectors, however, with reservation of respect to the artists and art and cultural spaces. Chiangmai has a lot to offer for example authentic and fusion gastronomic experience, crafts and design weeks, music festivals, leisure and retirement with choices of optional health and wellness and alternative and modern medical treatment, tech and creative hubs, business opportunities and multicultural exchange and volunteers programme. In recent years, there is an increasing creative movement that contribute to the city. To name a few, the Maiiam Contemporary Art Museum in Chiang Mai has become the first Thai art museum to win the Best New Museum of Asia Pacific award at the prestigious Leading Cultural Destinations Awards, dubbed the “Oscars” for museums. Chiangmai Design Week, the yearly gathering of designers, craftsmen and all enthusiasts, in 2018, has featured more than 500 Thai designers and creators and guests from 10 countries worldwide, with more than 200 activities taking place in traditional, contemporary and business locations across of the city. The festival aspires to play a pivotal role in strengthening Chiang Mai’s position as a UNESCO Creative City on Crafts and Folk Art. Ban Mae Kampong, a small community in Chiang Mai province, is recognized as a model ecotourism and sufficiency economy village, based on the philosophy initiated by His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Sufficiency Economy also seeks to harmonize the economic, social, and environmental aspects of development. Studio 88 Artists Residency cherishes the value of giving back to the community. Its journey of Studio 88 has just begun, and hopefully many planting hands from near and far can share in its growth and contribute to the development of this art initiative.
