IMAGINING ACQUA ALTA. MITI RUANGRITYA

Imagining Flood (2011) is a photographic study concerning the floods that have taken place in Bangkok. The collection of photos aims to capture the foreboding and surreal nature of the event by presenting the flood in a dreamlike and otherworldly manner.

When the news first arrived that Bangkok would be affected, concern naturally became widespread and all manner of preparations unfolded. But as yet the centre of city remains untouched but the sense of threat still lingers people's minds, as the city remains encircled by waterlogged houses, streets and motorways. It is the sense of waiting and fear that first drew me to the project. Whether the floods have been experienced firsthand or through news reports, conjuring a mental image of the event cannot avoided, which influenced my approach to shooting these scenes - as if developed from the subconscious, contrasting to urgent and frenetic style that has been depicted in the media.

Each scene takes place at night or the early hours creating a dream like atmosphere. The series is deliberately shot at these particular times using a tripod and slow shutter speed in order to capture a sense of stillness and the sense of wait and dread that the floods has created.