Artistic Manifest

Photo: Ashira Boonchoo, Mua: Deborah Altizio

 

As a multimodal artist, I seek inspiration in the paradoxes and complexity of human nature. I try to stay curious through my work, to question what I believe I know for sure, and to focus on kindness through empathy. Though sometimes challenging, my work aims to bring people together and, hopefully, create different points of connection for all of us. When we dare to live on the greyscale, we find more opportunities to connect with each other and arrive at moments of greater understanding.

My work aims to explore a broad and evolving understanding of others, but my creative purpose remains laser focused. In alliance with the 1.5 C scenario prediction, I have elected to commit the next six years of my life to making my creative processes and output more sustainable, as well as comprehensively explore and interrogate the intersection of climate change and accepted practices of artistic expression. I want to make sure I’m doing everything I can, through art, to make a change. These shifts include curating and producing more solar-powered performances; aligning my leader tours with sustainable practices; and distributing my music in the least harmful way, for example printing vinyl copies of my most recent release Carbon on bioplastic. There are options. It just requires a little extra thinking and taking time to have conversations with my musical and professional peers so they can get on board with it.

My sustainable practices as an artist are intrinsically linked to my biracial identity as a woman of Thai-Swedish descent. I’ve always identified with those who feel like the outsider. Growing up in Thailand with a Swedish mother, as a teenager I moved to Sweden while my father remained in Thailand. That experience alone offered me critical, sometimes painful insight into the world and how we relate to one another. I’ve been part of so many environments where I am different and people may not have the same viewpoints as me because they haven’t lived as I have. These experiences have helped me refine my creative expression and create multidisciplinary works that (hopefully) become a bridge for empathy. A long-term goal of mine is to become a distinct, compelling voice for Southeast Asian women. We’re constantly confronting (and overcoming!) stereotypes and imposed limitations in both eastern and western worlds. I want to help inspire more of us to follow our dreams, defiantly, help raise our collective self-confidence, and help transform the way we’re depicted in the media.

My creative gestures seek to honor and expand the many ways people interact with fine art. That ethos informs my approach to composition, instrumentation, and lyrical messaging, as well as my multimodal works that engage visual and sonic arts components, scientific expeditions, and digital technology. For me, it’s not about the method; it’s about the message: How can I connect with people through the medium? This central question has prompted works of composition, live and recorded performance, production, multi- sensory installation, data research and ongoing interdisciplinary collaboration — all of which inspire me to collaborate further and find out more

Frequently, I find inspiration in artifacts and found objects. I have transformed discarded plastic bottles into pitched and percussive instruments, and added layers of texture to my performances and installations by animating items from, say, my backyard. These artifacts help me share the story of how we interact with the planet and each other. They help me transmit my message about our individual and collective role in climate change. Without them, my work would lose something vital and resonant. Visual components are equally important to my messaging. It’s critical to me that my music is never ‘on the nose,’ for it to remain the realm of fine art and for people to be able to appreciate it for what it is. Visuals help translate the narrative.

As an artist, I feel a responsibility to look toward the future, and challenge myself to reflect, respond, and evolve. Two interdisciplinary projects I’m excited to pursue in 2023 focus on microorganisms, and the carbon clock, respectively. I want to continue to learn more, incorporate more physical installation in my output and, as I do, create meaningful and inspiring ways to share that knowledge with audiences and listeners.

Peace and love,

Sirintip


Climate Resources


Carbon Footprint Calculator - Start with understanding your carbon footprint.

The average metric tons Co2 per capita emissions in the world is Qatar 32.76, USA - 17.6, Canada - 15.7, Australia 14.9, South Korea 13.3, Germany 10.4, UK 8.1, China 7.6, Thailand 3.69, Sweden 3.2, India 1.78, Somalia 0.04. Sources Statista, theGlobalEconomy.com

Carbon emissions per sector and country - Get a better understanding of carbon emissions per sector and country. The top three biggest sectors are Electricity and Heat Production 25%, Agriculture, Forestry and other land use 24%, Industry 21%. The top leading carbon emissions per country is China 30%, United States 15%, EU 9%, India 7%.

Tips on how to reduce your carbon footprint - Much change need to happen on a macro systemic level but there’s many things that you can do today in your home, with what you eat, how you travel, and what you shop.

Carbon offset is the last resort but sometimes you’re left with no good option. Here’re some great organizations that you can donate to:

Tradewater - Offers Carbon offsetting. Tradewater has collected, controlled, and destroyed halocarbons and methane equivalent to 6.2 million metric tons of CO2 thus far, and has set a bold new goal of collecting, controlling, and destroying at least 3 million tons of CO2e annually moving forward. Tradewater are conducted pursuant to scientifically reviewed protocols established by the California Air Resources Board, American Carbon Registry, and VERRA. Each project is independently verified to ensure full compliance and the creation of the highest-quality carbon offset credits. 100% of their projects have been successfully verified to date. You can calculate your flight emissions here.

Clean Air Task Force - Focuses on decarbonization within the largest and most difficult carbon emission sectors - electricity, transport, and industry.

National Resource Defence Council - NRDC works to safeguard the earth—its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. NRDC combine the power of more than 3 million members and online activists with the expertise of some 700 scientists, lawyers, and other environmental specialists to confront the climate crisis, protect the planet's wildlife and wild places, and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities.


Green Tips for Musicians


Being sustainable in the music industry is difficult. There needs to be a lot of change on a systemic level. However the more we musicians ask for labels, promoters, venues, and consumers to do these things, the more awareness and demand there’ll be for the industry to become more green.

Green touring tips:

  • ask your booking agent to consider sustainable transportation and allow time for more sustainable travels from gig to gig .

  • ask the promoter/venue to offer a water station instead of plastic bottles, local vegetarian food, no single-use plastic backstage, and sustainable local transportation

  • encourage your audience to travel to your performance in sustainable ways. This is especially important for festivals where audiences could we traveling from all over the world.

  • sell sustainable merchandize or print small batches to ensure that everything gets sold, used, and not thrown away. Sustainable options include bioplastic vinyl, cardboard box case for CD, and whatever you can think of that ties into your music!

  • travel in electric cars when you can

  • ask your promoter for a higher fee to offset your carbon emissions through organizations like tradewater

  • ask for electronic tickets to be sold instead of paper tickets

  • when possible, hire local musicians to perform with you to reduce carbon emissions tied to air travel

Sustainable performance and recording practices:

  • record at a solar powered studio

  • perform solar powered performances

  • wear sustainable performance costumes like second hand clothes or newly designed items made from discarded fabrics

  • borrow props for video shoots and performances instead of buying new