Merit-making takes different forms, but for Supamit Kitjapipat, managing director of Siripanna Villa Resort & Spa Chiang Mai, it means organising charity art auctions to raise funds for a good cause.
Supamit Kitjapipat’s charity art auction has caused quite the buzz in Chiang Mai.
For the fourth annual charity auction, Siripanna has teamed up with Bangkok Airways and a host of local artists to support underprivileged students at Chalermprakiet 48 Pansa School in Lamphun province. Playing an integral role in the success of this year’s event was veteran independent artist and Silapathorn award-winner Pornchai Chaima.
The 42-year-old hotelier, who happens to be an art lover himself, initiated the charity auction in 2011 to support flood victims in central Thailand. The event’s success prompted him to make it a yearly rendezvous between art lovers and local artists, the proceeds of which would benefit various social and religious causes.
Supamit’s decision to use an art auction to raise funds took root after having conversations with local artists who shared a strong desire to play a tangible role in helping society. He is on first name terms with a number of acclaimed artists from the North and Central Region and believed a charity event would serve to create merit and showcase the artwork of budding artists.
“As most artists I know do not have money to readily donate, they were eager to help by using cash earned from their work. I stepped in by using Siripanna as a venue to exhibit and market their talent. Each participating artist knows their piece of artwork is a donation, so all the proceeds go toward a charitable cause that the artists and I decide to support. It goes without saying that I do not get a penny out of staging this event,” said Supamit.
“This year we had a mix and match of 100 young and old talents present their work, including Pichai Nirand, who was named a National Artist in 2003, and the hugely talented Pornchai, whose work has been exhibited internationally and which fans wait for months to purchase.”
The number of artists should be much higher, he said, but are often not because some are bound by contracts with galleries which prohibit their work from being shown elsewhere. He pleaded with gallery owners to make exemptions to this rule, saying that the intentions behind the charity auction should make it clear that monetary gain is not the goal.
Supamit has made it a point to preserve and promote northern culture and art through a string of self-initiated charity projects over the years.
Helping others is contagious, he said, and following the success of the debut event there has been a spike in the number of artists who have donated their work.
“The happiness that the artists and I get from such an event is not just about merit-making,” he said. “Watching famous Thai artists donate their paintings, some of which are valued at hundreds of thousands of baht, without expecting a satang in return is in itself a selfless act that brings me great joy.
“It also brings me great pride to offer budding artists the opportunity to exhibit their work. There are not many places where new artists can showcase their talent in a manner where the exposure can kick-start their careers.” To stage a successful charity event, Supamit said it is crucial for organisers to have good intentions and a clear conscience toward the cause they are supporting. Self-serving individuals with ulterior motives will never be able to gain the favour of others, he said. At the end of the day, it should never be just about how much money you can make, but rather your pure intentions toward the cause you support, he added.
The charity art auction had made good progress since its inception four years ago, according to Supamit.
“In the beginning, the audience was made up of family and friends, so the bids were rather low. But in the second year, the event drew art collectors and avid fans. Our auction started to receive recognition through word of mouth and social media,” he said.
“On the flip side of the coin, we also had people say that our auction offered gallery owners an unfair chance to purchase artwork of famous artists at a much lower market price. This really bothered the artists and myself because as a ‘charity’ event we do not have control over this. Moreover, none of us would stand to benefit from letting this happen intentionally. We would like the public to understand that such auctions are not organised to make a profit.”
Supamit hopes to continue promoting artists in northern Thailand. More has to be implemented to get their careers going, he said. If the media does not write about an artist it is very difficult for that individual to find avenues to launch their careers.
“Every Thai can do their part in supporting local artists to reach the pinnacle of their profession. However, they should do it with pure and sincere intentions!”
