Laid back in LA

Eleven Thai artists from around the country recently had an unprecedented opportunity to showcase their concepts, styles and techniques to the American public at a contemporary art exhibition held at Royal Thai Consulate General Building in Los Angeles.

The lucky artists were Adool Booncham from Nakhon Ratchasima, Chatchawan Sahassapaht from Phetchburi, Pichit Paidan from Mae Hong Son, Sakchai Uttitho from Ubon Ratchathani, Somchai Kaewprakob from Prachin Buri, Thamarat Nakjarast from Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Thiti Somboonanek from Phetchabun, Yodchai Prom-Inn from Surat Thani, and three Bangkokians Banlu Wiriyapornprapas, Narakorn Sittites and Uttaporn Nimmalaikaew. All of them took part in a four-day visual art workshop hosted by national artists at the Supreme Artist Hall in Pathum Thani to produce work for this exhibition.

“I think they are very well done, very expressive. They present wonderful pieces of thinking and wonderful colours,” said the Consul General of Ecuador Gilbert A Zambrano, admiring Pichit’s acrylic paintings featuring a bicycle and pottery.

“I like it. It’s like natural 3D. It’s like a real person in a way, maybe the Thai version of Mona Lisa,” commented Thai-American actor Thomas Livezey, considering Uttaporn’s work “Imagery of Suffering”.

A desert rose in Thammarat’s watercolour “The Landscape of Desire” reminded independent artist Sonny Chalermcha-tra of her happy childhood.

“When I was young, my father planted this flower. Unfortunately, it was hard to grow in this climate,” Sonny recalled. 

“I remember him saying that the stem looks like a nude woman. 

He felt it was beautiful because it was always trimmed like a bonsai. The tree suffers pain like a human but it is patient because it wants to be beautiful.”

The opening ceremony of the exhibition, which was a part of the Visual Art Communication Project by National Artists in cooperation with the Depart-ment of Cultural Promotion, Ministry of Culture, and Thai Art Council USA, was packed with Asian and American artists and guests.