Thai rice farmer makes art by planting seedlings in arrangements that depict cats
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BAN KHON SUNG, Thailand – A sleeping cat hugs a fish in a picture seen from the air, picked out in sprouting rainbow seedlings in a rice field in Thailand to illustrate a traditional proverb about abundance.
Farmer Tanyapong Jaikham and a team of workers planted the seedlings at various spots in the field in the northern province of Chiang Rai to depict cats, hoping to lure tourists and cat lovers.
“We’re expecting tens of thousands to come and see the art in the rice fields,” he said.
The process relies on Global Positioning System coordinates to position the seedlings as designated in an initial artist’s sketch, the farmer said, with the plants changing tint as they grow.
“It’s crucial to position them accurately, and the rice will gradually change shades over time,” he said. By the time of the final harvest, the rice straw yields the portrait of Cooper, the cat on which it was modelled.
The process relies on Global Positioning System coordinates to position the seedlings as designated in an initial artist’s sketch, with the plants changing tint as they grow.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Viewing towers are being built in the surrounding area to give visitors a glimpse of the artwork, which is based on a Thai saying: “There is fish in the water and rice in the fields.”
Thailand, the world’s second-largest exporter of the grain after India, aims to ship 8.5 million tonnes in 2023.
Young people wanting to learn more about the interaction of art and technology could also benefit from visiting the site, Mr Tanyapong said.
“Previously, rice was considered mainly for consumption,” he said.
“This approach allows us to develop tourism and agriculture simultaneously.” REUTERS
