Sandy Chuchat

One of my greatest challenges as a photographer is simply getting to my subjects. In Bangkok’s labyrinth of trains, buses, tuk-tuks and winding sois, I sometimes spend hours crossing the city just to reach a shoot. For my session with Sandy Chuchat, though, I simply hopped on my bicycle, grabbed my bag and light stands, and rode one soi over.

I had first noticed Sandy’s work a few years earlier, but we only started talking more recently. In her paintings, she deconstructs objects and forms to explore identity, social expectations and personal symbolism within dreamlike, allegorical settings.

Her studio is in the spacious home she shares with her partner. The first thing I noticed was how immaculate it was: brushes organised by size and type, everything carefully in its place. By contrast, her paintings, which she describes as an “organised chaos”, felt alive with colour and movement. A deep blue curtain brought Blue Velvet to mind, so I used it as the backdrop for one of her close-up portraits.