D-Jai holds her first exhibition
By Suwitcha Chaiyong, photos by Varuth Hirunyatheb
D-Jai Kosiyabong is the daughter of famous singer Boyd Kosiyabong, but she prefers photography to music. In March, D-Jai's first photo collection, Culture and Identity, was shown at the photo gallery YellowKorner at Emquartier. The collection will be available at other branches of YellowKorner as well as on the website www.yellowkorner.com. And at 17 years old, D-Jai is the youngest artist selected to exhibit her work at this gallery.
Student Weekly met up with D-Jai during the exhibition opening, when she told us about her collection and the support from her parents.
Student Weekly: Why are you interested in photography?
D-Jai: My mom has inspired me since I was very young. She isn't a professional, but her photography is beautiful. I've had a camera since I was 10 years old.
Student Weekly: When did you realise that you enjoy taking pictures of people?
D-Jai: Last summer I was in Los Angeles with my dad and I took a photography course. To take pictures, I had to talk to people. I was impressed that they were kind and told me interesting stories about themselves.
Student Weekly: Can you tell us more about your collection, Culture and Identity?
D-Jai: I've grown up in two different cultures. I'm Thai but I go to an international school which makes me confused about my identity. I've found that Thai people are open-minded about other cultures. The collection presents pictures of Thai dancers because I would like other people to see the beauty of Thai culture.
Student Weekly: How was your collection selected for YellowKorner?
D-Jai: The photos in this gallery were beautiful and attracted me while I was hanging out at the mall with my dad. My dad and I talked with the manager, who asked if I had any work. I sent him my portfolio and it was selected by judges from 12 countries to be displayed in the gallery.
Student Weekly: How do your parents support you?
D-Jai: They said if I really love photography, they will support me all the way. For this collection, they paid for the dancers, the camera and everything else. I would like to pay them back by making money from my work and paying for my studies in the future.
Student Weekly: How did you feel when you first saw your work in the gallery?
D-Jai: I was speechless. I felt thankful to God and the gallery. However, I knew that I have to improve a lot. In the future, I plan to study photography in the US.
Student Weekly: Are you interested in singing?
D-Jai: Not at all. I'm not good at singing. [Laughs.] 
Vocabulary
identity (n): who a person is, or the qualities of a person that make them different from others
open-minded (adj): willing to consider ideas and opinions that are new or different to your own
portfolio (n): a collection of drawings or photographs that represent an artist's work
speechless (adj): unable to speak because you are so angry, shocked or surprised
