Master painter and national artist Chavalit Sermprungsuk died of the coronavirus in the Netherlands on Monday. He was 80.
Chai Nakornchai, director-general of the Department of Cultural Promotion, said on Tuesday the Amsterdam-based artist died at OLVG Hospital in Amsterdam at 11.30am local time.
Chavalit: Victim of the coronavirus
Chavalit was named a national artist in visual arts in 2014.
Born on July 30, 1939 in Khon Kaen, Chavalit studied at Silpakorn University in Bangkok and was one of the last students taught by from Silpa "Ajarn Farang" Bhirasri, the father of modern art in Thailand. He furthered his studies at Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam and spent the next six decades dividing his time between Thailand and the Netherlands.
Chavalit was a prolific artist and his works ranged from realistic to abstract creations and to digital prints. Early this year an exhibition of his work, "Chavalit 80+ Art Festival" featuring digital inkjet prints, was held in Bangkok to mark his 80th birthday.
Chavalit was known to suffer from heart disease and lymphoma before developing coronavirus symptoms on April 10. He was later diagnosed with Covid-19 and admitted to OLVG Hospital on April 17.
A merit-making ceremony will be held for Chavalit on Friday at 10.30am at the the Thailand Cultural Centre. He is survived by his wife, Phanee Metongkum, who is also an artist.
