I believe in this idea of junction-making. We can only solve some of the
big challenges of the 21st century if we go beyond the fear of pooling knowledge.
I want to continue because it's urgent. It is a time of planetary crisis.
–HANS-ULRICH OBRIST
Artistic Director
Serpentine Gallery

There is a proverb from the North Eastern region of Thailand where I come from that says ‘Death follows you every step. Until waking up in the morning and seeing each other’s face, it’s uncertain we are still alive’. It reminds people to be aware of the present. To be thoughtful about their actions and responsible for what they are doing at every moment.

I always think life is short, so you cannot waste it. You had better do something worthwhile while you are still alive. In this show I want to push the idea a step further both for me and for the audience. It’s only today that you have the power or the freedom to create something great, something meaningful and worth remembering - so you had better get out there and do it! 

In 2012 I created hundreds of skulls and made moulds from them. Then I asked a range of people, my friends, my family, my neighbors, friends’ students, workers to help create 125,000 porcelain skulls. While making them, I asked them to contemplate their life and think ‘if today were your last, what will you leave behind? What will you be remembered for’?

The skulls were laid down to fill the gallery floor and the audience was invited to step on them. When people walk into the gallery, every step they take they will be stepping on the skulls, unavoidably. The truth is we never know which step will be our last.

On the internet, I created a survey asking people around the world ‘if today was your last on earth, what will you leave behind?’ The skulls’ creators’ answers, along with answers given through the internet, were projected on the gallery wall. Visitors can join the survey at the gallery or via www.ninosarabutra.com/WhatWillYouLeaveBehind/

They can also share answers with their friends and family on Facebook, Twitter or email. 

The most important thing about the question ‘WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE BEHIND?’ is not the answer. It is the thought process that does into answering: it makes people think about their life, what they are doing, what they care about, what they are achieving. 

“What will you leave behind?” is the first time I have involved people in making the work. They are part of the work by making the skulls, contributing their thoughts in the survey or even installing; putting the skulls on the floor one by one and finally stepping on them. Peoples’ participation carries on… 

I want the people to see, to feel, to keep the experience of the show with them even after they leave the gallery – the exhibition should stay with everyone and make people keep asking themselves ‘what I am doing with my life?’. They can choose to share their answer or not. It’s up to them. 

Even though I have put in my answer on the survey, the question is still ticking in my head every day. I am very aware of what I am doing today as it could be my last. And, I’d better make it worth leaving behind. What about you?

_
“WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE BEHIND?”
Unglazed porcelain, Dimensions variable

1st 125,000 skulls exhibited at ARDEL’S THIRD PLACE gallery, Bangkok, Thailand, January 2013 
2nd 28,000 skulls exhibited at SUNDARAM TAGORE gallery, Singapore, September 2013 
3rd 12,500 skulls exhibited at the meditation hall - Wat Phanitaram, Chachoensao, Thailand, August 2014 
4th 10,000 skulls exhibited at SUNDARAM TAGORE gallery, New York, September 2014 
5th 15,000 skulls exhibited in ‘Frontiers Reimagined’ at Museo di Palazzo Grimani, Venice, Italy, 9 May – 22 November 2015 
6th 125,000 skulls exhibited at Bangkok Art Biennale, Thailand, 19 October 2018 – 3 February 2019 

The artist Nino Sarabutra and young visitors who came to help making the skulls in the studio during the open studio the weekend of LES TRAVASEES DU MARAIS. In this project ‘PARIS – WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE BEHIND?’ the artist invite audience to join her making the porcelain skulls and discuss the idea of if today is their last what will they leave behind.

Nino Sarabutra drying the freshly made porcelain skulls in the sunny side studio #8415 of Cite Internationale des Arts in le Marais, Paris. Nino planned to create 25,000 porcelain skulls out of 1,000 kg of clay during the residency for her project ‘PARIS – WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE BEHIND?’

Nino Sarabutra installing porcelain skulls to open her studio #8415 for the weekend of LES TRAVASEES DU MARAIS. Her Cite des Arts residency project ‘PARIS – WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE BEHIND?’ received hundreds of visitors and many participants came to help her making the skulls.

‘PARIS – WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE BEHIND?’ the installation, the artist and visiors all enjoying the sun, the conversation & experiencing the work. During the open studio #8415 for the weekend of LES TRAVASEES DU MARAIS Nino Sarabutra’s Cite des Arts residency project ‘PARIS – WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE BEHIND?’ received hundreds of visitors and many participants came to help her making the skulls. 

All photos taken at Cite des Arts belong to Nino Sarabutra and they are permitted to be published by Institut Francais, the French Embassy and Cite Internationale des Arts.