Monkey has become one of the famous wild ‘pets’ for people these days, and Thailand is no exception. I went on a trip at a wildlife organization called Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT). Most of the wildlife that are in the organization are once pets or animals that were used as labor, but now they live there because they have become aggressive or useless for the owners. Most of the animals are mainly primates, bears, and injured elephants. They are not able to live in the jungle because they were raised as pets and fed, therefore, they cannot survive on their own by finding food. This issue inspires me, because I am an animal lover. I’ve been seeing monkey pets all over the Chattuchak market in Thailand; when they are young, they are very cute like a baby, but most of the primates in the organization are old and aggressive from aging. Although most people think that animals do not have emotions, I do think that sometimes their faces are sad because they are locked up in a cage, kept to themselves, and granted no freedom whatsoever. This is the inspiration of my piece, a monkey I met during the trip.

 

This is a marionette puppet of a monkey. A marionette puppet is a doll that is a form of art--a show, to be precise--in Thai culture. I relate it to the monkeys that are left in the organization because they are like puppets of the owners, acting as entertainers for them. It also represents the reputation of Thai people: the rare animal species that I saw in the organization are once owned by high ranking policemen and the wealthy. Although it is illegal to own a wild monkey, some people are above the law in Thailand. However, when the monkeys grow older and become more aggressive, like old toys--ruined, discarded, and torn--they are thrown away, just like the abandoned monkeys living in the organization. In this piece of my artwork, I put the monkey in marionette and left in a warehouse, where people throw away their toys. A point I particularly want to convey regarding this matter is the value of life. Similar to humans, animals also have feelings. The only difference is that they cannot talk or express themselves. Another message I want to send is we should not treat animals as if they are toys, fully under our control and desires for entertainment. It also reminds me of my pets at home: not neglecting and ignoring them, because I’ve already chosen to raise them as my pets, I need to be responsible for them and make sure that I give them my full attention and care for them.