Art for the late Monarch

The exhibition displays the works of the three winners of the seventh Asia Plus Art Contest and they, along with 35 other awarded paintings, 28 selected paintings and seven pieces by renowned Thai artists including Itthipol Thangchalok, Preecha Thaothong, Thavorn Ko-udomvit and Somsak Raksuwan, pay tribute to His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
“This year, our committee, team and artists united to honour and to commemorate HM the late King’s benevolence by expressing our innermost feelings for the King through art. These artists have different skills, different levels of proficiency and use different techniques but they share a love for and memories of the late Monarch,” said Dr Kongkiat Opaswongkarn, chief executive of Asia Plus Group Holdings, 
The painting “Kham Phor Sorn” (“The Guidance of His Majest the King”) by Santi Sidaraj, a young artist from Maha Sarakham, won first prize in the prestigious contest, with “Khwam Suk Khong Paendin” (“Happiness in the Country”) by Siritat Tephalokul coming in second and “Un Jai Yam Kham Tai Rom Phra Baramee No 1” (“Peace of Mind at Night under the Graciousness of King Rama IX”) by Prutinan Damnil in third.
“This painting is inspired directly from His Majesty the late King’s lessons in perseverance and his teaching that we should seek knowledge in order to achieve our goals,” said Santi. 
“My painting is like a model of a classroom with a blackboard showing the King’s statement on education. I carved the letters in wood and painted in black in order to tell everybody if we don’t study, we won’t have understanding. The message comes in the painting, which needs to be studied at close range if it is to be understood. It’s all a matter of perseverance. Most importantly, we can learn and understand the King’s guidance through my hidden concept.”
“His Majesty the late King was the world’s longest-reigning living monarch with 70 years on the throne. The King is like a big tree providing shade and his perseverance is like the circle of time. I selected to use pencil for my work because it is the instrument the King used for writing and working. Using pencil is going back to basics. If we have our good basics, we will have stability,” said Siritat.
Prutinan, who hails from the South of Thailand used wood carving and hand embroidery in her painting.
“It reflects the way of life of people in the South who live peacefully with their families under the graciousness of King Rama IX. Sewing represents the bond between father, mother and their children while wood carving records memories. Pieces of fabrics taken from my parents’ old clothes reflect the love, concern and warmth from the family, which is an important factor in Thai life,” said Prutinan.
Among 28 paintings selected by the committee is “Armani’s King” by 10-year-old Wachirawat Samart, a student of Kajonkietsuksa School in Phuket, who took home the CEO Special Talent Award.