Sibling rivalry

If the world economic crisis or the doom and gloom of Thai politics is getting you down then a visit to Galerie N for an antidepressant art fix of colourful paintings and lively sculptures by two sibling artists is sure to lift your sagging spirits.

‘Son of Cow’ by Sivadol.

The brothers Sivadol and Verapat Sitipol have little in common artistically despite both graduating from Silpakorn University; the younger brother, Verapat, is partial to the fluid medium of oil while Sivadol prefers to laboriously sculpt hard stone, marble and granite to express his inner voice.

In their two-man show titled "Universal in the Witness", Verapat's broad brushstrokes of oil on canvas, paper and linen are pure abstract expressionism with next to no representational forms detectable in the patchworks of bright colours. While Thai audiences tend to prefer more realist, figurative art, they are also inclined to enjoy splashes of bright, primary colours, and Verapat's offerings exude this quality in abundance.

These oils do not break any new ground. They are strongly reminiscent of the works of Hans Hofmann and Nicolas de Stael, both masters of the abstract expressionist art movement of the post-war period, who themselves were heavily influenced by their forbears of the first half of the last century including such canonical figures as Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso.

These obvious influences do not detract from the value of the viewer's encounter with these new works of art. Verapat's aim is to spontaneously articulate his feeling, much as his predecessors had done; however, the inner vision here is Verapat's. He is searching for beauty and to share his emotion in such a way as to celebrate his life with his viewer - and in this he succeeds.

‘Portrait of Century’ by Sivadol.

While Verapat chose to complete an MFA at Visva-Bharati University in India, majoring in painting, his elder brother stayed at Silpakorn to complete his master's degree in sculpture, and Sivadol has received more recognition than his younger sibling, including a solo show at the National Gallery in Bangkok in 2006.

Sivadol's sculptures are chalk to the cheese of Verapat's canvases.

Sivadol is far more physical, preferring to present recognisable objects in unexpected juxtapositions and thus add new meanings that did not exist before. Sivadol too stands on the shoulders of past giants in order to achieve his goals. Even detectable in his mix of found and fashioned pieces is the influence of Marcel Duchamp, whose ready-made Bottle Rack (1914) revolutionised the art world.

This brother's work is far more ponderous and serious than Verapat's almost effervescent impastos and still visible undercoat. Although sometimes whimsical in their combination of materials as evinced in his two marble and brass pieces Son of Cow (2009) and Portrait of Century (2009), they are all laden with gravitas, particularly evident in the marble Circle of Stone (2006), which overflows with symbolic references.

‘The Open Blue of the Endless Line’

By fashioning his many media, such as marble, into the shapes of everyday objects and by turning everyday objects into sculptural forms, Sivadol offers his viewer the opportunity to reconsider their overlooked importance, reminding us of their true value, which goes beyond their utilitarian benefit. They too have a spirit.

On the whole, Thai audiences will not respond as well to these heavy, intertextual statues as they will to the ebullient brushwork. On opening night Verapat sold several pieces whereas Sivadol was unable to interest a single buyer. The result of this unfortunate imbalance in the preferences of the art-buying public is driving many potential young talented Thai sculptors to reconsider their options, boding ill for the future of sculpture in this country.

Sivadol and Verapat Sitipol's 'Universal in the Witness' can be viewed until December 27 at Galerie N, 139/5 Witthayu Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 7pm. Call 02-252-1592 or visit http://www.galerienbangkok.com.