IX. The Mekong: Where we all meet
Part 9 of an international solo on ”Lanna“ by Lim Siang Jin. This online exhibition, comprising 20 parts, is from May 6 to June 5, 2025
THE MEKONG isn’t just a river—it’s where lives connect. It carries boats full of goods, yes, but also laughter and stories, and quiet glances at strangers. It flows across borders, linking farmers, traders, elders, and children. Every journey it carries weaves a thread into the fabric of shared culture. Goods may represent commerce and necessity, but it’s the people who bring meaning. Through conversations at riverside markets or tales shared during dull journeys, ideas travel alongside cargo. This river teaches that real connection isn’t just built on exchange—it flows through shared human experience.
Lifeblood of civilisation
WHERE the Mekong flows, life rises. Its waters feed emerald rice fields and fill nets with silver fish—but more than sustaining, it builds. Settlements hug its banks, drawn to its steady gifts. Over time, footpaths become roads, clusters of huts evolve into towns. Trade flourishes, stories mingle, languages blend. This is more than nature at work—it’s civilisation in motion. The Mekong doesn’t just give life; it shapes it. From ancient Angkor to today’s vibrant riverine communities, cultures have grown in synch with its pulse. Every bend carries traces of human resilience—rooted in survival, blossoming into rich tradition.
Knives through water
IN LANNA’S heartland, boats cut like knives through the landscape—slicing past mountains that block roads. These vessels move through Mekong currents with sharp precision, carrying goods from remote villages to busy markets. Where land travel fails, boats cut through water easily, moving tons in one trip. For centuries, they’ve been more than transport: they’re floating markets and culture carriers, breaking through isolation. Their steady sounds show how rivers beat roads in rough country. On the Mekong, boats don’t just move goods—they cut through barriers between communities, making water a lifeline for survival.
Moving with the currents
LANNA is modernising its transport web—upgrading roads, expanding airports, and reviving railways—to complement China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). New highways and railways will pierce mountain barriers, linking to Kunming’s markets and Southeast Asia’s ports, while upgraded airports bridge remote valleys to global routes. BRI synergises with local upgrades: Mekong barges feed into high-speed rail, and expressways streamline cargo from factories to freight hubs. This network slashes costs and amplifies exports, yet risks sidelining riverine traditions. As concrete spreads, how would Lanna steer progress to buoy—not drown—its identity?
For more information, click on links: Stephen Menon, O Art Space Gallery, Lim Siang Jin and his art, here and here. For a detailed acknowledgment, click here