Art on the mind

THAILAND BOASTS several projects designed to encourage and promote the country’s young artists but few are as rewarding as the “Young Artists Talent” programme organised by veteran artist Kamol Tassananchalee with the support of the Culture Ministry’s the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture.

Now in its sixth year, this year’s project saw 10 lucky students fly out to Los Angeles and showcase their works in an exhibition hosted by the Royal Thai Consulate-General in the Californian city as well as take part in a series of activities and experiences they will never forget.

Selected from among 70 students attending 26 education institutions around the country during a contemporary art youth camp at Burapha University in Chonburi province were Chatcharin Chuekompeng for his artwork “Hidden Behaviour”, Jarasporn Chumsri (“Healing”), Kodsoung Eangubon (“Selfishness”), Narongrit Galajit (“Miracle of Resurrection”), Pattarawit Boonprom (“When to Make Good on the Promise. More Time Asked. But It’s Been Too Long”), Rattana Sudjarit (“The Imagination at the Time No 10”), Sinsawad Jantaphaison (“Imagining the Power of Nature based on The Mahajanaka Jataka)”, Sita Inyai (“Weaving Life”), Sittiphon Lochaisong ““Reflection of Sensations”), and Kusofiyah Nibuesa with (“Identity Path”). 

In his speech, Jesda Katavetin, consul general of Thailand to Los Angeles, who hosted the opening party, noted that art was like an ambassador that can draw foreigners’ attention to Thai culture. Boonlert Khamdee, director of the resource and funding centre at the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture, who followed Jesda on the podium, agreed and expressed his congratulations to the 10 young people. 

Artists Pattarawit and Sita entertained with a performance of the Northeast’s folk dance, receiving a warm round of applause from the guests who included film production organiser Jerry Cook and his wife Surang, Dr Ronard Sommer and his wife, retired nurse Sonny Chalermchatra, Bhisuthiarbhorn Phungbun Na Ayudhya, a daughter of General Chao Phraya Ramrakop, the general aide-de-camp to King Rama VI, American artists Edem Ediah and Joe King as well as reporters from Thai newspapers in LA.

Surang Cook spent a long time gazing at Chatcharin’s “Hidden Behaviour”, which reflects his thoughts on the ruthlessness of modern society.

“I was born into a poor family and even as a child was affected by the aggressive behaviour of my fellow men,” explained Chatcharin, a student at Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi.

Sonny Chalermchatra expressed her liking for Kusofiyah’s “Identity Path”, which portrays the simple, self-sufficient ways of life of ethnic Malays’ in Thailand’s south. Kusofiya is a student at Prince of Songkla University in Pattani Campus.

Jarasporn’s “Healing”,Kodsoung’s “Miracle of Resurrection” and Rattana’s “The Imagination at the Time No 10”, which explores her love for her grandmother, also won favourable comments, as did Sita’s woven sculpture Weaving Life”, Sittiphon’s “Reflection of Sensations” and Sinsawad’s work, which is inspired by the shipwreck scene from the story of “Mahajanaka Jataka.”