Souvanh Thongkham
a river town on the Mekong in Laos
Souvanh Thongkham has spent decades navigating the dusty, winding roads of Southeast Asia, each journey marking him with stories of his tenacity and resilience. Roots run deep, as does the Mekong by his childhood home, and each haul reminds him of the promises he made to ensure his family’s well-being. At night, he transforms the solitude and stress of the road into art within the confines of a shoebox, capturing his world in miniature form without stepping away from the immediate demands on his life.
About
Obsession
The sound of a refrigerator humming in silence, a barometer of domestic peace.
Voice
Weight of a bridge's strain
Artistic Medium
Miniature dioramas inside shoeboxes
Technique
Assembling
Influences
Long solitary road trips, Mekong River sounds, conversations at border crossings
Materials
Old truck maps, fuel receipts, polished stones from riverbeds
Scale
Size of a shoebox
Selected 3 times · Last: April 01, 2026
