Banfai Temple Stool

Banfai Temple Stool

In rural Northeast Thailand, Isaan region, there is a Buddhist tradition of rocket making: Bun Banfai or the flying cylinders festival. The workshops are scattered around the region and they provide 3m tall flying cylinders to every single village and city dwelling those infinite rice fields. Some of these workshops retain the buddhist spirituality in the making and shooting.

To one of this rocket-making temples we joined for one month. There we made gunpowder and rockets. But, most of all, we joined a small community that accepted our craft knowledge as common language - the only one we could use to communicate around.

What used to be gunpowder powered bamboo trunks has evolved in today's use of blue PCV pipes and other industrial materials.The temple terrain was loaded with production leftovers. An interesting variety of material to gather together and combine into an object. Is from this mood that the Banfai Temple Stool was born: a product from a specific context and for a specific community.

The object remained as part of the temple, an offer to a people that hosted us as if we were part of their community. A an offer to the local spirits that took so good care of us.

No tools, no glue, no screws, no nails. Every piece was found like it performed in the final arrangement, no component was modified after being found.