The spirit of giving
Some of the country's leading artists give their works for an auction to raise funds for flood victims
National artist Preecha Thaothong often heads up to Ayutthaya to spend time at the world heritage site of Wat Chaiwatthanaram. Last year, he painted the beautiful temple just as dawn was breaking.
The work, an acrylic, simply titled “Wat Chaiwatthanaram”, shows the 17th century stupas in silhouette. Early last month, the sandbag dyke protecting the temple failed and water from the Chao Phraya River overflowed into the historic temple.
“It’s so sad to see images of the temple under water,” says Preecha, who has donated the painting to Thai PBS for auction to raise funds for flood relief.
Called “Silapin Pan Namjai Chuey Pai Nam Tuam” (“Artists’ Kind Hospitality for Flood Relief”), the auction takes place at Queen Gallery on Rajdamnoen Klang Avenue this Sunday starting at 1pm.
Along with Preecha’s painting, for which the starting price has been set at Bt200,000, 34 artworks, mostly paintings and prints, are up for grabs. Preecha donated his painting before the floods nearly his studio in Thon Buri’s Phetchakasem area but was able to move the more than 400 masterpieces he usually keeps there to safety before the water came.
Somsak Raksuwan, who is facing up to flooding in both his studio in Nakhon Pathom’s Nakhon Chaisri district as well as his house in Nonthaburi’s Bang Bua Thong area, has teamed up with more than 50 artists friends to raise funds for fellow Thai sufferers and is donating all the proceeds to Thai PBS’s Flood Relief Fund. Somsak will act as the auctioneer together with TV host Araya Tortrakul.
Somsak’s acrylic on canvas “The Trang Ocean” (starting at Bt50,000) is also up for bids.
“As a flood victim myself, I understand what other people are going through. As artists, we just want to share our hospitality and this is the best way we can help,” reveals Somsak, who has lost about 20 paintings plus his private collection to the flood.
Somsak raised more than Bt7 million in the 2006 auction for tsunami victims but says he doesn’t expect to get that much at Sunday’s event, as many collectors are also suffering from flooding.
Other works sure to attract buyers include national artist Pratuang Emjaroen’s semi-abstract oil “Rice Field No 2” starting at Bt250,000, national artist Pichai Niran’s oil “Water Pot of Wisdom: Puranakata” (Bt350,000) and Prasong Luemaung’s oil “Kor Kon” (Bt70,000).
Prints include national artist Prayat Pongdam’s “Plad Phaa” (“Changing Clothes”), depicting a beautiful lady in pha sin (traditional Thai sarong) starting at Bt40,000 and Panya Vijinthanasarn’s black and white lithograph “Monkhood” (Bt50,000).
The only sculpture on auction is national artist Nonthivthn Chadhaphalin’s “The Desire”. The bronze coated with kromium depicts a hugging couple and has a reserve price of Bt150,000.
Photographer Anuchai Secharunpu-tong of Remix Studio Bangkok has been busy capturing the current situation in Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Ayutthaya.
One of his photos, depicting the head of a bodhisattva carved in a tree in the floodwaters at Ayutthaya’s Wat Mahatat, is up for auction and 20 others will be for sale at Bt10,000 a pop, along with 30 paintings and drawings.
Thai PBS has also produced 2,300 T-shirts costing Bt300. The tee is available in black and white and is screened Pratuang’s semi-abstract oil “Rice Field No 2” at the front while the back sports a poem by national artist Naowarat Pongpaibool that offers encouraging words for flood victims. The remaining paintings will be on display at Queen Gallery until December 2. Find out more at (02) 790 2000 or www.ThaiPbs.or.th
