Street Report 6: Phaa Bai

A vast photographic survey – the metaphor of "cities as tapestries" – found its physical and tactile form in the ubiquitous blue and white plastic tarpaulins (Phaa Bai) across Thailand. As the cheapest and lightest of its kind, its distinctive striped pattern is almost repetitively present in every layer of street life. From picnics and construction sites to sacred spaces; whether for quick fixes or elaborate drapes. It has even been observed to be imitated by high street retail brands.