Trinket Philosophy

The financial crisis in the 2000's came with a surprising indicator: lipstick. A spike in lipstick sales became a term coined by economists as the 'Lipstick Index' used to describe signs of recession when buyers turn to smaller luxuries. With global inflation today, the Lipstick Index has become more pertinent as the younger generation's inability to afford the same investments as before, yet the index has manifested in other forms that bring small joys and escapism, such as collectibles, bag charms, prints, and fancy drinks. Yet, framing these trinkets in an economic framework would be an understatement to the lived experiences of their collectors and makers. Upon a closer look, trinkets exist beyond ornaments; they are rather born from diverse intentions, creative expression, uniqueness, and shared causes.

Trinket Philosophy becomes an invitation to explore the tiny things that matter. Small objects, moments, or thoughts about stories and cherished moments that expand into their own lore and sustain the bigger picture. The selected art pieces may seem small in size, yet their works let us pry into the microcosm of knick-knacks. From the small lives that sustain the ecosystem in a vast field in Kanokwan Sutthang's series, curiosity and reminiscent mapping of one's growth in MM's artworks, playing along with Tuna Dunn's tempo beating in connected moments and captured within a split second, and Miranda Mazuki's treasured keepsake glimmering despite the shadowy veil of time. Existing as miniature details in a grand scheme of modern anxieties, each artist offers a glimpse into each bauble and bead as a planet of its own, before seeing the entire bunch as a universe of one's own.

Pearamon Tulavardhana