Sathon Spirit Tree 

Soey Milk made this painting, *Sathon Spirit Tree*, with a directness that belies its conceptual depth. The tree is built up with visible brushstrokes, an immediacy that is at odds with the amount of time that must have gone into its making. Milk is engaging with a tradition of practice, spirit trees, that reflects the local culture of Bangkok where spirit houses and trees hold religious significance, thought to provide shelter for spirits who once dwelled on the land before buildings or structures were erected. People make offerings to these spirits to seek protection or good fortune. The ribbons wrapped around the tree are rendered with care, evidence of the labor involved in acts of devotion and the time-consuming processes that shape spiritual connection. The tiles at the base add depth, literally layering materials to the canvas. Paintings like this remind us that art is always made of something, by someone, somewhere. Milk collapses divides between fine art and the more everyday world of craft and belief.