Jirapat Tatsanasomboon

ARTIST STATEMENT

“Beauty in Bygone Times” discusses the current context of Thai heritage amidst a rapid shift in political and social ideology favored by the new generation. Thai society is polarized into two major ideas of Conservative and Liberal. The highly sophisticated and graceful tradition that defines Thai culture and people’s identity is being viewed as old fashioned or dubbed as the “dinosaur” era.

This series of work does not criticize nor support any particular idea. It plays the role of art that documents the situation in the artist’s contemporary time. The exhibition suggests equality and the value of humanity; at the same time pointing out the wave of digital technology that changes the landscape of art creation like never before.

ARTIST STATEMENT

In the exhibition “Compassion in Adversity,” Jirapat continues to address the contradictions in cultural beliefs and traditions of the East and West.  He calls attention to current issues in society commenting on politics, consumerism, gender inequality and social injustice.

Out of eight paintings in the exhibition, five were created pre-pandemic in 2019.  Drawing aesthetic parallels with the elegance of Thai mural paintings, Jirapat deviates from tradition with a Western iconography referencing artwork by Sandro Botticelli from the Renaissance period, Francoise Gerard from Neoclassism, Magritte of the modern period, graffiti art by Keith Haring, as well as bold contemporary art by Yayoi Kusama, and Takashi Murakami.

The three most recent paintings were created in 2020 during the time of the pandemic and the government lockdown.  Critically, Jirapat witnesses the upheaval of liberal congregation against the nationalist government in his country, the Western protest of black injustice, and the closure of cultural institutions as funding declines.  The adversity of the current time is narrated with mythical figures and a liberal young person with face protection symbolizing the military government regime.

BIOGRAPHY

Born in 1971 in Samut Prakarn province, Thailand, he completed his bachelor’s degree at Chiang Mai University in 1996 with his BA thesis painting Foreign Intervention (1996), which was awarded the Grand Prize of Panasonic Contemporary Art in the 3rd Panasonic Contemporary Painting Exhibition in 1997.

In 1999, he acquired a master’s degree at Silapakorn University; his MA thesis painting Green Goblin vs Maiyarap (2004) was also awarded the Grand Prize of Panasonic Contemporary Art in the 4th Panasonic Contemporary Painting Exhibition in 2002.

Other awards include

  • The Special Award in the 9th Toshiba Thailand Contemporary Art competition (1997)
  • Grand Prize in the 13th Toshiba Thailand’s Contemporary Art competition (2001)
  • Special Prize in the 14th Toshiba Thailand’s Contemporary Art competition (2002)
  • Finalist, Sovereign Asian Art Prize competition, Hong Kong (2010)

Tatsanasomboon has participated in several international art shows including

  • Asia Art Now at the Korean Cultural and Arts Foundation, Korea (2003)
  • Tradition and Modernity in South East Asian Art, New York, USA (2006)
  • Art Singapore, (2008); Visions of East Asia 2008 for the Olympics, China (2008)
  • The Indian Art Summit, India (2009)
  • Art Monaco, Monaco
  • Arteclasica 10, Buenos Aires, Argentina (2010)
  • ArtScience Museum, Singapore in the exhibition Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal (2012)
  • Bahrain (2014)

In Thailand, he exhibited in

  • The 46th National Art Exhibition, National Gallery, Bangkok (2000);
  • ASEAN Art Awards Exhibition, Bangkok (2003)
  • Love and Struggle together with Sudjai Chaiyapan at Thavibu Gallery, Bangkok (2004)
  • A Transformation of Icons (solo show) at Thavibu Gallery, Bangkok (2006)
  • Love and Lust (solo show) at Thavibu Gallery, Bangkok (2008)
  • Man Heroes Myths & Gods at Mulan Gallery, Singapore (2009)
  • Camouflage (solo show) at Thavibu Gallery, Bangkok (2010)
  • Controversy (solo show) at Art Front Gallery, Singapore (2011)
  • The Desires of Nonthok (solo show) at Thavibu Gallery, Bangkok (2013)
  • Disparity (solo show) at Thavibu Gallery, Bangkok  (2015)
  • Illusions of Liberty (solo show) at Yenakart Villa Art Gallery, Bangkok (2017)

Jirapat Tatsanasomboon is the only Thai artist included in the recent book by the international publisher Thames & Hudson – 100 Painters of Tomorrow. Thus, he has been vetted by international curators as one of the most promising artists of his generation.

COLLECTIONS

He sells regularly at international auctions and is collected worldwide.