Sapiens 3000 – MYMORY.SPACE

The Sapiens 3000 project is my experiment to find a way for me to live in harmony with nature. As the climate crisis becomes more severe and our consumption of resources accelerates, our impact on the world intensifies. I’ve hypothesized what life would need to look like if humans want to live until the year 3000.

All of us in this world are constantly using natural resources. Since the Industrial Revolution, our world has been getting warmer, and we’ve seen extreme climate changes. Everything is shifting. If humans continue to consume at the same rate, I don’t think any of us will be able to live peacefully in this world.

This project is my friend Korkiat (Big) Tripattanasuwan and me, Satita (Mind) Taratis. We’re experimenting to find a possible way of life and to reconnect with nature.

I didn’t ask for any funding from any organization because I wanted to have as much freedom of mind as possible. So, I used our own money and started investing in the way I wanted to try.

My advantage lies in storytelling through images and writing. I’m a documentary photographer, and Korkiat is a former assistant director. I then used our personal interests and life skills, such as a passion for food, to design ways to earn monthly income. For example, we’ve been selling chili paste, salted eggs, and kombucha.

Our main idea for making money is to be kind to ourselves, connect with people, and minimize our harm to the world.

Each month, we also host seminars about the key human elements within ‘Sapiens 3000’. We bring in experts for discussions and invite the public to join and share their thoughts.

In the first month, an inner voice kept asking, “What am I doing here?” Everything felt uncomfortable; it was like a temporary shelter with a roof but no walls to block the wind, rain, or provide privacy. In that most difficult situation (from my perspective, someone used to closed rooms, soft beds, and air conditioning on demand), my very feeling of being alive slowly began to change.

I started waking up with sunlight on my face or to the sounds of villagers using the space. And another key rule, similar to where I was staying, was that this place had no owner. We all owned it together with nature. From then on, I gradually adapted and learned from nature and the villagers there.

Dreams and reality can be quite different. Before coming here, I thought I’d have plenty of time to relax, do art, meditate, and observe nature. In reality, we had to create a food source to feed ourselves for the year. So, those dream moments were only a short part of the day.

Aside from that, I had to plan the planting, digging, and taking care of the seedlings. We also wanted to try rice farming, but with one condition: we only had the power of two people.

Every morning in July 2024, Korkiat and I had to pull out grass with deep, arm’s-length roots. The more we pulled, the more there seemed to be. There was so much that it almost brought me to tears. And then, that inner voice started again, asking, “What am I doing here?”

But I encouraged myself, thinking this might be the only time in my life I would ever farm. That thought gave me the strength to keep fighting. I also have to thank my partner, who never gave up.

By growing our own food, nurturing it to fruition, and cooking it over fires fuelled by fallen branches, we connected with our body and the Earth. We’d never fully grasped the idea of “Life Force” but when food became medicine, we felt it in our bones. Is it hard to believe? I invite you to cook with care, to know the origin of your food, and to grow some herbs by your window. Through these small acts, you can reclaim agency and let the life force expand within you.

It’s a stark contrast to the ultra-processed foods found in convenience stores. By eating consciously, plant life becomes familiar, our bodies resonate deeply with the land, and an intimacy is birthed.

The intense experiences of 2024 served as a harsh warning. Thailand faced major natural disasters, with unprecedented floods in areas that had never been affected before, followed by earthquakes in early 2025. I truly believe these were very strong warning signs. My heart was shaking like a fish jumping in fright. It was an unforgettable lesson and a crucial memory from an important period of my life.

On the morning of October 4, 2024, after more than a week of heavy rain, I woke up to urinate, then groggily went back to sleep. Not long after, I woke with a start and found that our living area had turned into a flooded field, and the water level was rising rapidly. We couldn’t collect our belongings from higher ground in time. At that moment, we decided to grab our important things and rush through the current to get out of the area. I was terrified, with tears streaming down my face. Along the way, I encountered ants, insects, and reptiles, all swimming to escape for their lives, just like me. When I reached the entrance, I found that the road had collapsed. I was even more scared. I imagined that if I made a mistake and fell, I might not survive. But at that moment, Korkiat felt differently than I did. He was excited and ready for adventure. His attitude helped me regain my senses quickly. And he was the one who dared to take the risk and lead me out safely.

I was truly exhausted that day. I still remember the chaos very well.

Now, as our experimental project concludes, we are in a period of reflection, sifting through our experiences, and seeking the perfect balance that allows us to adapt anywhere in this world. This is the fundamental essence of life that we gained from the past year, and it continues to evolve.

We are excited to share our journey through a documentary film that chronicles our year. Our deepest hope is that this film will ignite hope, courage, and a powerful drive in your own heart. (In the process…)