Since the dawn of history, the adventures and glories of heroes have captured the imagination of many cultures. In Thai artist Boonsri Tangtrongsin's world, the non-archetypal heroine takes the form of Superbarbara, an inflated sex doll often put in recurring dilemmas that highlight the irresolvable nature of age-old social and political problems. Although much of Superbarbara's encounters are allusions to Thai social realities, at the heart of these works are philosophical conundrums within human life that are universal. By transforming Superbarbara from a sex toy to a saviour, and yet one who is both victim and valiant hero, the artist reflects on the potential of ordinary people to play the role of heroes. Central to the work's examination of what it means to make positive differences in today's rapidly changing world are deeper implications that question the many guises in which heroes may take. Despite the humourous scenarios of comical tragedies that Superbarbara finds herself in, embedded within these 11 animation episodes are more complex premises that question the pursuit for a better world as even a possible one. Boonsri's ambiguous portrayal of Superbarbara in episodes such as Reading Out Loud, allude to the role of saviour as corrupt ruler. In The Plant, the mass production of Superbarbara copies raises the possibility of ominous agendas behind good intentions. In Feeding The Poor, the artist presents the conundrum of monetary aid as a flawed solution that has been unable to wholly alleviate social problems such as poverty. The impossibility of finding equilibrium and peace, while engaging with a suffering world, is being suggested in the episode Meditation On Water. Blurring the boundaries of what “good” and “bad” means in a complex world today are the repeated appearances of flocks of crows that at times seem to thwart Superbarbara's efforts, and yet other times, represent society's masses in need. This series of works include four new episodes the artist created, in response to the Singapore Biennale theme, If The World Changed. The titles for the 11 episodes in this series animation series are:Ep 1: CrossEp 2: The ThinkerEp 3: Blowing JobEp 4: RespiratorEp 5: Meditation on WaterEp 6: When The Time ComesEp 7: Feeding The PoorEp 8: The PlantEp 9: Strategic Defense Initiative Ep 10: Reading Out LoudEp 11: Giving and Taking
