2022TAF: Think Bar:"REALNESS: LUK KREUNG"

REALNESS: LUK KREUNG is a solo creation from Norwegian-Thai dancer Phitthaya Phaefuang, alias Sun, based on his own identity complex and his mother's past as a sex worker. In Thai, “Luk Kreung” refers to people born of mixed blood and cultural descent, who used to be stigmatized as many Luk Kreung are children of Thai sex workers and foreigners. Many of them are frequently part of the showbiz because of their exotic looks.

A tribute to Sun’s mother, REALNESS: LUK KREUNG presents a radiant host of gender performances and queer embodiments, including catwalk, sex sirens, voguing, Thai classical female dance, dharma practice, and walking meditation. Probing the socioeconomic and gendered aspects of Thai culture and flesh trade, this work-in-progress is also a sentient gift in transforming suffering and compassion.

Phitthaya Phaefuang (Sun), Thailand

Phitthaya Phaefuang, nickname Sun, studied bachelor in modern- and contemporary dance at KHIO (Oslo National Academy of the Arts), and graduated in 2011. In 2012, he moved back to Thailand and started to do performing projects around Asia.

With an interest in LGBTQ culture, he explored vogue and ballroom culture in the African American and Latinx LGBTQ community in New York. Since 2015 he has been taking classes and joined sessions in voguing, sex sirens, runway, and ballroom history. He has been walking balls in Asia and Europe, won some trophies, and joined the house of Amazon. He also created a vogue and ballroom scene in Thailand and is known as the father and mother of the Thailand ballroom scene or the trailblazer of the Thailand ballroom scene. 

Also, Sun was fascinated by Thai temples and Buddha sculptures. He used to be a monk for 1 month in 2020 to get deeper into Buddhism, and also continued to practice and study further dharma practices in everyday life after his monkhood.