The Chiang Mai Art Conversation and Filament Works CIC is organising an exhibition, ‘Fungi in your Headlights’ between 27th September until 31st October between 11am and 7pm at Panic Room DC Collection.
Emerging from a journey into the atmosphere of a cave and woven into the exhibition “FUNGI IN YOUR HEADLIGHTS,” the explorations by artist Anont Nongyao and NooN Collective opens up dialogue about collaborative sound and visual art across cultural borders. This is part of the TAAHM (ถ้ำ) project, which aims to reawaken our senses to an ancient time when our relationship with the world was fresh, vibrant, and boundless.
This event provides a platform for audiences to delve into the exhibition experience and the ideas behind the works. The programme’s opening event will feature a guided tour by artist Arnont Nongyao and a panel discussion involving Anont Nongyao and NooN Collective members (Ric Byer, Emilio Mula, and Clare Parker), moderated by Thatchatham Silsupan. They will share perspectives and processes on the TAAHM project, which stems from their exploration of UNESCO Global Geoparks in both Thailand and the United Kingdom. Inspired by living organisms like fungi, the project explores the extended meaning of listening, existing, and creating language together through the senses and the relationship between humans and nature.
Throughout 2025, NooN Collective (UK) and Arnont Nongyao (Thailand) have been evolving a new collaborative language, artistic process, and ways of working which they call ‘TAAHM’. TAAHM is a phonetic spelling of the Thai word for cave, and sounding it is like the sounding of a drum with a sustained resonance. The artists have been evolving their shared practice through vibration and a deep listening to each other and the worlds they adventure through. They have been inspired by the underground lives of fungi, seeking out connections and possibilities in the dark. Together, they have spent time in caves in the UK and Thailand, and in virtual and imagined caves of the internet and their imaginations. They have collected and shared sounds, images, and fragments of meaning from these adventures. This process and these materials have formed the basis for live jams – improvised performances online and in real life, sometimes both. Moving beyond words into dark, unknown places has given the artists a space ripe with possibility and radical transformation.
This rich collaboration began through About Fungi and Being in the Dark, funded by the British Council’s International Collaboration Grants, which are designed to support UK and overseas organisations to collaborate on international arts projects. Connecting artists, cultural and conservation organisations in Thailand and the UK, the collaboration involves NooN cross-disciplinary collective, Arnont Nongyao, Filament Works, Chiang Mai Art Conservation, Art Residency Thailand, Kents Cavern, Wild Planet Trust, English Riviera UNESCO Global Geopark (UK), and Satun UNESCO Global Geopark (Thailand).
Artist Arnont Nongyao from Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City has a body of works spanning sound installations, video installations and sound performances. His work aims to not just stimulate hearing but also to transmit vibrations through the4 body, building bridges towards collective learning. He works with NooN Collective, a UK Based cross-disciplinary collective, concerned with the subconscious and the deep ecological communication of the natural world; as well as pushing boundaries of where work can be presented.
CAC here in Chiang Mai aims to create a hub of art information by using technology to keep the community well-informed. The group also holds activities to foster new talent, knowledge, and collaborative networks, with the hope of connecting the art sector with its audiences. By doing so, they intend to strengthen the arts in Chiang Mai and promote its expansion to other cities and countries. Additionally, CAC encourages the arts movement in Chiang Mai to incorporate other disciplines, considering the changes in global society. These strategies are designed to increase the value and strength of art careers, activities, and knowledge, ultimately leading to future economic and social benefits.
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