Ban Hun Lek (บ้านหุ่นเหล็ก)

Thai. ‘Iron Doll(s) House’. Name of an art factory museum in Angthong. It is the creative idea of Phairoht Thanomwong (fig.), who makes steel figures with pieces from old engines, using parts of decommissioned machines and vehicles. He transforms these discarded parts into imitations of robot-like figures, both in human and animal-like form, as well as into mock vehicles, especially futuristic-looking cars and motorbikes. Many of his creations are reminiscent to figures and vehicles from movies such as Transformers, Mad Max, Star Wars, Aliens, etc. It is therefore in English sometimes referred to as the Transformer Museum, a name not supported by the owner. They are produced in various sizes, generally from 2 to 4 meters, but some are as tall as 6 meters, though he initially started by making small figures that were sold in shops and on markets. As interest from the public grew, he expanded his business and started to export, while his creations or copycat works can now be seen all over Thailand, often as eye catchers in front of businesses such as fuel stations (fig.). The Thai name hun lek (หุ่นเหล็ก), meaning ‘iron man/men’ or ‘metal puppet(s)’, is a play of words with the theatre puppets used in traditional hun lakon lek (fig.) performances and which are known as hun lek (หุ่นเล็ก), i.e. with a different Thai spelling and tone, and meaning ‘little/small puppet(s)’. Despite the use of the term Iron in its name, there are also artifacts that have been made with or from other discarded parts, such as old tires, and the art collection is complemented with other curiosities, such as ohng yak, i.e. gigantic earthen water pots used in rural areas to collect and store rain water, made into giant yak faces with colourful paint in a play of words with the gigantic earthen water pots called ohng yak, literally ‘giant water pots’ (fig.). See also VIDEO and TRAVEL PICTURES (1), (2), (3), (4), (5). 回