Jonathan Armour’s Residency Reflections Featured in The London Group Newsletter

Jonathan Armour shares his experiences as a resident artist in Thailand with Studio 88, where he completed two impactful residencies in 2024. His reflections are featured in the Winter Newsletter of The London Group, one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious artist-led organizations.

In this captivating article, London Group member Jonathan shares his transformative experience as an artist-in-residence at Studio 88 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Participating in two distinct residencies, “Gender Fluid – Evolving Identities” and ” Design Lab: Performing Arts,” Jonathan immersed himself in the rich cultural, artistic, and spiritual landscape of Thailand.

Guided by Studio 88 Director Sasiwimon Wongjarin (Aom) and two curators; Thanupon Yindee (Golf) curator for the Gender Fluid – Evolving Identities, and Chaiwat Lochotinant, curator for Design Lab: Performing Arts, Jonathan engaged in a series of workshops, performances, and collaborations that explored themes of identity, spirituality, and hybrid existence.

His work with Thai and international artists, including the trans performer Sade Buu Hunt, resulted in thought-provoking performances such as Incarnation and Overlapping, as well as Invocation workshop blending physical and augmented realities to challenge conventional boundaries of artistic expression.

Jonathan also delved into the region’s textile traditions, fusing them with his engineering background to create visually dynamic pieces. His innovative approach to integrating AR technology into live performances further deepened his exploration of the intersection between digital and physical identities.

Reflecting on his journey, Jonathan underscores the importance of iterative residencies and the open-mindedness of his collaborators, who embraced his experimental ideas and theatrical inexperience with enthusiasm. With thanks to all our collaborators for this successful collaboration: Chai, GolfThanupon, Sade, Sunvo, Keng, Fiws, Aod, Time, Trai, Katha, Khao, Anna, Jasmin, Arhit, Golf Nontawat and Thip. Through his residencies at Studio 88, Jonathan forged lasting connections and laid the groundwork for future collaborations, showcasing the power of cross-cultural artistic exchange.