Italthai Portrait Prize 2025 marks fifth year with powerful stories of life

River City Bangkok hosted the awards ceremony for the Italthai Portrait Prize 2025 on Tuesday (November 18), marking the opening of one of Thailand’s largest national portrait exhibitions. 

Supported by the Italthai Group in partnership with River City Bangkok, the annual competition aims to elevate and strengthen Thailand’s art scene. Now in its fifth year, the Italthai Portrait Prize invites artists nationwide to share their stories through brushstrokes under the theme “LIFE: Growth, Dream, and Failure.”

“This year is especially meaningful to us as we proudly enter the fifth year of this national competition that we started during the Covid period,” said Toby Lu, Senior Marketing and Exhibition Manager at River City Bangkok.

 “Reaching this milestone has given us the opportunity to pause, reflect and re-imagine what this platform can continue to be for artists in Thailand and beyond.”

Valaithip Piriyawarasakul, Senior Vice President – Group Asset & Compliance at Italthai Group, presented the awards to this year’s winners, joined by an esteemed panel of judges who gathered to celebrate and honour the three outstanding artists recognised this year.

“In addition to providing a stage for emerging artists to showcase their potential, this year’s competition also reflects and communicates diverse perspectives and creative ideas to society,” she said.

The three winners of the Italthai Portrait Prize 2025 are:

• “Destination” by Kittikun Kitsanakup – Winner of the Portrait Prize 2025 (500,000 baht)

“My father, Songkran, has been a government teacher who devoted his heart and soul to teaching and being a good role model for his students and his children for many years. After retiring, he returned to live a peaceful life at his garden home. Even at the age of 71, like a great tree slowly shedding its leaves, he still finds joy in planting trees. Though he sometimes comes back with scratches from working in the garden, they are always accompanied by a smile that reflects the happiness of doing what he loves. Even though he became a father later in life, he lovingly raised, guided, and supported me and my sister until we graduated from university, always expressing his pride in us. Today, I want to take this opportunity to paint a portrait of my father, both as a gift and as a way to preserve these precious moments between him and me.” 

• “A Broken Dream” by Kancharot Naksin – Winner of the Packing Room Prize (200,000 baht)

“Growth is a gift nature grants to every child. This child was no exception. She grew up surrounded by love playing with friends, exploring the world with hopeful eyes. Each morning she awoke to her family’s warmth, and each night she slept in peace. Such is the purest form of growth for a heart untouched by tragedy. From small joys came a dream: a simple life, a cherished career, and the happiness of loved ones. She never wished to own the world only to live freely beneath a peaceful sky. But the world is never truly safe. Society and fate strike without warning economic collapse, disasters, and wars that destroy everything. These walls of ruin fall on dreams without mercy. Rich or poor, no one escapes such cruelty. In war, children know only fear and hunger. Some cling to rags as armor, others survive on scraps thrown away by strangers. What once was childhood joy is replaced by loss and separation. As harsh realities consume them, dreams fade into shadows. A bright future darkens into despair.”

“Failure here is not from effort unmet, but from burdens imposed by society and the world—an unwanted failure they are forced to bear. In the end, growth once beautiful is scarred. Dreams once pure are crushed by war. And failure is not just the fall of one child, but of humanity itself for allowing children to face a world that robs them of their dreams”

• “A New Dawn, A New Dream of Mr Sank” by Kanta Nalampoon – Winner of the Youth Prize (100,000 baht)

“Mr Sank was sentenced to prison for drug dealing. After serving his time, he decided to turn his life around and start fresh. Since he had no money, he began by collecting morning glory from the canals and gardens to sell at the morning market. With a new determination, he aimed to earn an honest living to support himself and his family.”

Beyond the award ceremony, all 65 finalist artworks are now on display at RCB Galleria 3, 2nd floor of River City Bangkok, from November 19 to December 16. The exhibition is free of charge.

Visitors are invited to explore the works and spend time with the stories behind each portrait. They are also encouraged to vote for their favourite piece to help determine the People’s Choice Prize (valued at 100,000 baht). To participate, simply present an ID card or passport at the entrance.

The winner of the People’s Choice Prize will be announced on December 17 at 1pm, after the exhibition concludes. The results will be shared on River City Bangkok’s social media channels.

River City Bangkok expressed hope that the competition will continue to inspire and empower artists across generations—opening doors to new opportunities, whether through scholarships, commissioned projects or the beginning of lifelong artistic careers.