Rural Reflection

Rural Reflection

Chaiwoot Thiampan's hyper-realistic paintings of life in provincial Petchaburi make a big impression

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Rural Reflection

Even though the origin of Thai visual art set itself away from the practice of realism, modern Thai artists in general are not less competent than any others in the skill of rendering things to be truthful to nature. For instance, the canvasses of Chamras

However, a chance to view works with extreme life-like qualities is not common. Very few Thai masters dedicate themselves to the exhaustive discipline that Chuck Close chose, even though the photorealism genre of this renowned American portraitist has been introduced and included in Thai fine art textbooks for years.

The arrival of Chaiwoot Thiampan's "The Reality Of Simple Lifestyle" exhibition is not only good news for the artist (to have his own solo show at the age of 39), but it's also an event that possibly rejuvenates the circle of hyperrealism paintings in this country.

About three-dozen works by this Silpakorn University valedictorian are arranged around two floors of Subhashok The Arts Centre, a recently launched high-end art space in a hidden corner of Sukhumvit.

Produced from the early 2000s to the present, all displayed canvasses revolve around one common feature: the depiction of a vanishing era of pleasant rural life through a presentation of still objects. Undoubtedly, the major stimulus comes from no one else but Ralph Goings, a photorealism pioneer who employs daily items of a Californian lifestyle as a visual motif in his artistic rendition.

At least two associations are obvious. Chaiwoot's set of Chinese tea images and that of seasoning bottles can be juxtaposed with the famous series of Coffee And Donut and Ketchup Bottle of the American forerunner. The Thai art lecturer is honest enough to insert a message about this influence in the exhibition programme. Anyway, this showing of a Thai hyperrealist is not without a touch of idiosyncrasy.

As a native and a current resident of Petchaburi, a haven of artisanship and cuisine, Chaiwoot borrows objects that represent his hometown to be the subjects of his paintings. They include silverware, seafood and vegetables. This thematic selection brings about captivating visual interpretations of silver water bowls, deep-fried fish, and sun-dried garlic and shallot skins.

One of the most enjoyable piece is the recently drawn cooked rice canvas, of which a silver spoon figure in the middle of a background of white steamed rice features the artist's own distorted reflection. This trick/gimmick reminds us of what Jan van Eyck did in his Portrait Of Giovanni Arnolfini And His Wife masterpiece.

With the help of photography and a slide projector, the American photorealist pioneers were heavily criticised for their aesthetics. So in the present digital age, it may be harder to achieve visual accuracy. He is wise enough to accompany his canvasses with a panel (and programme text) in explaining the process of his execution, that his project did not just start from a pure mimicry of a photographic source, but mostly developed from his hand-drawing skills.

Moreover, in terms of originality, Chai-woot tries to depart from the American school by not presenting the still images with a deep focus, but only partial. As a result, with these blurring components, unlike that of other photorealist projects, Chaiwoot's dogma is not to fool the eyes of the beholder, but to offer impressions. His visual rendition can be concluded as photorealism with a touch of impressionism.

By the way, one common major issue of a highly skilled artist is the obsession with their expertise, without developing a flair in other media. Without any newfangledness, these works of Chaiwoot would be nothing much but simply an extremely beautiful image to be hung upon a luxurious wall.

A glimpse of provincial downtowns is a domineering narrative motif of his current show, directly delivered from his living status as a provincial artist. So, this reviewer wishes to have another chance to view what is truly coming from the artist's personal connection and context. It could be something like wildlife, flora and fauna, which are also persistent interests of his.

Last but not least, visitors to the venue should fully enjoy the space, and not feel intimidated by its solemn environment. Moreover, the display of Burmese-style Lord Buddha statues on the third floor, archived from the previous programme, is a very worthwhile side attraction.


Chaiwoot Thiampan's "The Reality Of Simple Lifestyle" will be on display until July 21. Subhashok The Arts Centre opens daily except Mondays. It is part of Raveevan Suites, which can be accessed from Sukhumvit 31, 33 and 39. Call 02-622-0299 or visit www.facebook.com/sacbangkok

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