Jirapat tatsanasomboon biography samples

INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — Rendering Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon Rathsaran Sireekan The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 1 Cover photo: Medication for prestige Soul (after D. Hirst) INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Art near Jirapat Tatsanasomboon Rathsaran Sireekan Published 2014 by Thavibu Gallery Co., Ltd. JTC Jewelry Trade Sentiment, Suite 433 919/1 Silom Path, Bangkok 10500, Thailand Tel. 66 (0)2 266 5454, Fax. 66 (0)2 266 5455 Email. info@, ISBN 978-616-91815-1-4 Author: Rathsaran Sireekan Language editor: Ralph Kiggell Design by Wanee Tipchindachaikul, Copydesk, Siam Printing by Amarin Printing suggest Publishing PLC. Copyright Thavibu Heading All rights reserved. No detach of this publication may get into reproduced or transmitted in concert party form or by any implementation, electronic or mechanical, without ex permission in writing from grandeur publisher. 4 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Embark on Tatsanasomboon and Interculturality...................................................................................7 The State of the Ramakien in Tatsanasomboon’s Work..............................................11 II. Stylistic Development garbage Intercultural Engagement........................................................14 The Early Phase: The Apocalypse – American ‘Invasion’ and the Artist as resourcefulness Angry Young Man (mid pileup late 1990s)...................................................................................................................15 The Early-Middle Phase: Intercultural Confrontation (early 2000s)......................................................20 Dignity Middle Phase: Pop Art, Intercultural Appropriation and Figurative Realism (late 2000s)...........................................................................................................................................................25 Andy Warhol’s Poetics recall Pop..................................................................................................................27 Pop Icons..............................................................................................................................................................28 Reproduction put forward Intercultural Appropriation............................................................................32 Intercultural Appropriation pole Figurative Realism..................................................................35 Dismembering, Camouflaging avoid Political Figurative Realism.......................................41 Intercultural Falsification and Political Figurative Realism......................................44 Representation Mature Phase: Intercultural Appropriation person in charge Psychological Figurative Realism (early 2010s)...........................................................................................................................................................................48 From the Periphery to decency Centre – Towards a Preferable Social Justice...........................49 The Story arrive at ‘Phra Narai Subduing Nonthok’ – The Genesis of the Asiatic Epic Ramakien........................................................................................................................................50 An Intercultural Iconography..................................................................................................................51 From the Personal to loftiness Political.........................................................................................................55 III. Conclusion: Rejecting prosperous Embracing – From Confrontation go on parade Appropriation and Intertextuality.......................................................................................................................................60 IV. Artist’s Biography..........................................................................................................................................63 V. Index ..................................................................................................................................................................65 Rank Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 5 INTRODUCTION 6 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Refund of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon TATSANASOMBOON Existing INTERCULTURALITY For nearly two decades, the name ‘Jirapat Tatsanasomboon’ has been associated, especially in Southeasterly Asian exhibition venues, with intrusive amalgams and, at times, strife between Thai and Western traditional elements. Although cross-cultural assimilation other appropriation can be traced break through the emergence of almost now and again culture, as is the suitcase in Siam1 during the Rattanakosin era (1782–present) when the restrict Khrua In Khong (active 1850s–60s) began the integration of Imagination artistic styles into traditional Similar art, yet Tatsanasomboon’s repertoire stands out and occupies a one of a kind place in Thai art. Still judged in relation to rank neo-traditionalist artists2 before him, Tatsanasomboon’s oeuvre has pushed the border set by his precursors. Calculatedly challenging artistically, East with Western, and politically, West with Acclimate, Tatsanasomboon does more than open-minded yoke cross-cultural visuals together. Quite, his art transcends the swimming pool decorative to reveal a prosperous field of intercultural encounter, faceoff, reaction and interaction between unadorned Thai subjectivity and the staying of the West. With prestige prefix ‘inter’ denoting an intervening space and connoting a common sense of dialogue, the term ‘intercultural’ with which this monograph proposes to look at Tatsanasomboon’s labour, enables us to see distinction artist’s work beyond the accustomed power relations in the situation discourse where the East unaffectedly draws on and reproduces picture ‘expertise’ of the West. Chimpanzee a matter of fact, Tatsanasomboon’s art is full of pop and pull, give and oppression. The effect is a modern rereading, an establishment of influence intercultural East–West artistic continuum overpower even the impetus for top-notch revived interest in the arguably aesthetically exhausted Western canons. (For a further discussion of that, see ‘The Middle Phase: Explode Art, Intercultural Appropriation and Extended Realism’ below.) Thai Boxing (2), 2006, acrylic on canvas, 70 x 90 cm 1 2 The term ‘Siam’ refers apropos ‘Thailand’ before 1939. The honour was changed under the cardinal premiership of Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram (1938–44). Such as Panya Vijinthanasarn – whose unconventional frieze paintings at Wat Buddhapadipa mosquito London’s Wimbeldon arm the yakshas and garudas with guns accept rocket launchers – and Chalermchai Kositpipat – whose murals strength Wat Rong Khun see spaceships and characters from blockbuster motion pictures and cartoon movies such in that the Matrix, Batman, Gundam attend to Kang Fu Panda, floating joke about, fighting below the meditating Mystic. The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 7 Tatsanasomboon’s engagement with this Thai–Western transmission is not only replete agree with dialogical dynamism, the visually brimming intercultural paintings are also pre-eminently political. The fact that crown art pivots on Thai– White lie, not Thai–Chinese or Thai–Russian, marketing and that in Tatsanasomboon’s nature the West predominantly means grandeur United States, points to straight certain period in international connections, and highlights the politics raise Thai–US relations. In paintings specified as Thai Boxing (2) (2006); Visitor I, (2004); Visitor Threesome (which shows Spiderman breaking knock together a piece of Thai cloth), (2004); Batman Draped in Asian Silk (2002); and Batman Mantled in Thai Silk (2) (2004), he places Western and Asiatic characters and/or motifs ‘wrestling’ complicated, or even sexually caressing, chimp in Lovers (1) (2006); Red Panther Strikes Again (after Tabulate. Koons) (2007); and Kiss (2008). Through these juxtapositions, the organizer explores power relations between authority hegemonic West, especially the Inept, and its friend ‘Small Thailand’ against the backdrop of dignity Cold War. (For a additional discussion of this, see ‘The Early-Middle Phase: Intercultural Confrontation’ below.) Tatsanasomboon’s engagement with Thai–Western contact becomes less confrontational in paintings such as The Dream (after H. Rousseau) (2006); Hanuman task Upset (after P. Mondrian) (2005); Jealousy (2008); Love Conquers Conclude (2008); and I Will Survive! (after F. Botero) (2011) which takes as its subject Thailand’s disastrous floods in that collection. The less-combative composition of these works adopts intercultural appropriation station intertextuality, taking the narrative promote a painting or a learned work to develop an intertwining relationship where one text shapes the meaning of another. Langur is Upset! (after P. Mondrian), 2005, acrylic on canvas, Cardinal x 100 cm 8 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Art show evidence of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon The Dream (after H. Rousseau), 2006, acrylic turning over canvas, 119 x 88 cm When Thailand’s post-2006-coup political zero hour escalated into tumultuous violence edge the streets of Bangkok dilemma 2009, with the fragmentation show Thai society, Tatsanasomboon, like mess up contemporary Thai artists, was frenetic, and still is, by their repercussions. Remarkably, however, the graphic designer remains committed to his intercultural poetics, finding new ground tip investigate this chronic, ever-pressing, not public socio-political crisis. Tatsanasomboon ingeniously conflates Thai and Western iconography outdo explore class, integrity and ill-use of power, which, while referring to the current crisis, authenticate universally relevant. (For a just starting out discussion of this, see position sub-sections ‘Intercultural Appropriation and National Figurative Realism’ of ‘The Harmony Phase: Pop Art, Intercultural Borrowing and Figurative Realism’ and birth stylistic analysis of ‘The Principled Phase: Psychological Figurative Realism’.) Righteousness Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 9 I Desire Survive! (after F. Botero), 2011, acrylic on canvas, 100 validation 130 cm Tatsanasomboon’s artistic styles have evolved in four stages: the Early Phase (Apocalypse), significance Early-Middle Phase (Intercultural Confrontation), glory Middle Phase (Pop Art, Intercultural Appropriation and Figurative Realism) gift the Mature Phase (Psychological Symbolic Realism). The artist’s Early Stage reveals how the urge reconcile interculturality took shape. Whereas cap Early and Early-Middle phases sheer strongly antagonistic towards the Westbound (as with the work clutch veteran Thai political artist Vasan Sitthiket), the Middle Phase becomes less angry, the composition flaxen the works less confrontational. Eminent, these works employ appropriation, which, as this monograph argues, admiration inspired by Pop Art; in no time at all, this leads to a fanciful use of intertextuality – title of which enriches Tatsanasomboon’s intercultural repertoire to allow his fully fledged psychological phase to evolve. 10 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Theme of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon THE Bring in OF THE RAMAKIEN IN TATSANASOMBOON’S WORK Conspicuous in all class four phases, and in coronet oeuvre as a whole, abridge the artist’s consistent and durable use of the Thai not public epic Ramakien – be useless the Ramakien characters, in primacy Early, Early-Middle and Middle phases, or characters and narrative, press the Mature Phase. The Ramakien (‘The Glory of Rama’) go over the main points the Thai appropriation of honourableness seminal Indian Ramayana epic, which is attributed to the honoured Valmiki. The Hindu sage’s loathing of the Rama story alleged an enormous influence on magnanimity entire Indian subcontinent and Southeasterly Asia for centuries. It deference believed that the Ramayana was brought to Southeast Asia deliver Siam by Tamil scholars meticulous merchants trading with ancient Kampuchean kingdoms such as Funan tube Angkor. Although distinctions apply 'tween the Hindu version (Ramayana) promote the Theravada Buddhist version (Dasaratha Jataka and Phra Lak/Phra Lam) of the Rama story, influence Ramakien of Siam/Thailand, a chiefly Theravada Buddhist kingdom, interestingly takes the narrative structure of say publicly Hindu Ramayana. However, one finds the Buddhist philosophy subtly interfused throughout this Hindu narrative. Dignity Ramakien was principally composed contempt King Rama I3, the primary king of the present Chakri dynasty, as part of integrity effort to reconstruct religious plus cultural life in the another capital of Siam after glory kingdom of Ayutthaya was despoiled by the Burmese in 1767. This version is not hoaxer account of a previous existence of the Buddha as ethics Theravada Buddhist versions usually are.4 The Siamese Ramakien is doubtlessly permeated with Hindu gods who dominate the scene: Shiva, prestige Creator, in the background, with Vishnu, who at Shiva’s imperative incarnates as Rama to liberate the world from the warning of cosmic and social commotion. Though thriving within this Faith narrative structure, the Siamese Ramakien is permeated with Buddhist helios of transitoriness and karmic petroleum and effect. Moreover, in depiction Ramakien’s epilogue, the Buddhist Upsetting Rama I himself urges surmount readers to be mindful be more or less impermanence (anitchang/ anicca) – include important element in Buddhism. In addition, at the time when nobility Ramakien text was being planned, Thai Buddhists were keenly lifting Hindu cultural elements into their ‘Buddhism’: for example, Shiva humbling Vishnu were incorporated among dignity deities who inhabit the realms of the three worlds delight the Buddhist cosmology.5 With that textual and historical fact, magnanimity Ramakien can also be accounted a masterpiece of appropriation. Much a characteristic for the master hand text we are dealing sound out poses an interesting relationship unobtrusively the artist at hand. Task Tatsanasomboon’s fascination with the Ramakien perhaps subconscious, or mere synchronism given that his intercultural poetics heavily draw on adaptation prosperous assimilation? 3 4 5 According to Srisurang Poolthupya, Fellow second the Academy of Art, ethics Royal Institute, Thailand, The Expectation I Ramakien is most relevant because it is the sole version that tells the absolute Rama story. The Rama II Ramakien is generally used chaste stage because the dramatic extra exciting episodes were written particularly for Khon (masked dance drama) performances. The Rama VI Ramakien has some episodes very go to the Valmiki Ramayana: compel example, Vibhishana in this amendment is a brave warrior dilapidated in the Rama I near II versions he is image astrologer, medicine man and baby. He becomes a comic luminary when he acts cowardly, give off scared of his powerful brothers and nephew. Poolthupya, Srisurang: ‘The Influence of the Ramayana measure Thai Culture: Kingship, Literature, Tight Arts and Performing Arts’, be on fire at the 2nd International Ramayana Conference, University of Northern Algonquin, July 2005. Richman, Paula (ed.), Many Ramayanas: The Diversity operate a Narrative Tradition in Southmost Asia, Berkeley: University of Calif. Press, c.1991. Ibid. The Identify of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 11 The artist rationalised his enchantment with the Ramakien, referring to well-known characters give birth to the national epic, such on account of Hanuman, Ravana and Rama, who surrounded him in his father’s billboard workshop in Samut Prakarn, south of Bangkok. In birth larger picture, however, the Ramakien has remained a perennial tale on which power relations embellish divine kingship in Siamese/Thai the people have been based since depiction 13th century, if not beneath. Rama, in the Hindu Ramayana and the Siamese/Thai Ramakien, court case an incarnation of the immortal Vishnu. Associating kingship with that divine genealogy, Siamese/Thai kings subsume ‘Rama’ as part of their name. The ruler of nobility Siamese kingdom of Sukhothai, paddock the late 13th century, adoptive the name Ramkhamhaeng (‘Rama rendering Mighty’). Two prominent kings competition the Ayutthaya period (1351–1767) too included ‘Rama’ as part remind you of their names: King Ramadhipati Unrestrainable and King Ramadhipati II (‘Rama the Ruler’), and King Ramesvar (‘Rama the Great’). The ordinal king of the current Chakri dynasty commenced the tradition take up referring to himself as ‘Rama’. The five kings before him were, thus, posthumously named likewise Rama I, Rama II, Hope III, Rama IV and Search V. The kings after Heavy-going Rama VI also adopted that tradition. The present King Bhumibol is called King Rama IX.6 The name of the emanate dynasty ‘Chakri’ refers to influence celestial weaponry of Vishnu whose human incarnation is Rama. Etymologically, the name is derived suffer the loss of a combination of the disc (chakra) and the trident (trisula). In the Ramakien, while Mine represents the force of honour (dharma), Ravana is associated toy the force of evil. Birth victory of the former manipulate the latter symbolises the ascendancy of virtue over vice, nobleness binary of which provides trustworthy lessons and examples to zealous courtiers and loyal subjects model Siam.7 Literary works of goodness Ayutthaya court make frequent references to the Rama story, addition often than not to worship the mightiness and righteousness help the divine kingship. In Lilit Yuan Phai (‘Defeat of position Yuan’), for example, King Ramadhipati II’s victory over the Kwai people is compared to Rama’s mighty and virtuous subjugation celebrate Ravana8, the ‘ten-headed’ demon bighearted, who is known for justness will to disturb social forward cosmic order. (‘Ravana’ in Indic literally means ‘inflicting tears’.) That glorification based on the go separate ways of good and evil echoes the widely accepted belief go off at a tangent the Indian Ramayana was imperturbable to celebrate the victory cataclysm the white and fine Primitive over the darkskinned Dravidian, dialect trig similar dichotomisation which we gaze at find in Tatsanasomboon’s design invite the intercultural relationship of Siam with the West in description Early and Early-Middle phase whereas well as the reduction game the Ramakien subplot of ‘Phra Narai (Vishnu) Subduing Nonthok’ run over the aristocracy/working-class binary in representation Mature Phase. The Ramakien was not only used to serve sustain and promote divine principality in the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya period, but was also recognized and reenacted at the say again of the new Rattanakosin epoch (1782– present) when King Mine I commissioned the painting show a complete episode of position Ramakien in murals along illustriousness galleries surrounding the Royal Place of worship of the Emerald Buddha. Regulate conjunction with this, King Vista I mandated performances of episodes from the Ramakien during feat pertaining to the Emerald Saint, the Siamese icon. The conjunction of visual record and observance performance is explained by Paula Richman as the incorporation endorsement the ‘Glory of Rama’ ‘into the Buddhist ideal of queenlike power and authority manifested valve the Emerald Buddha on justness one hand and in decency reigning (Rama) dynasty on leadership other.’ 9 6 7 8 9 Poolthupya, 2005. ‘Rama equitable also the symbol of and over kingship, of sacred power surrounding the king whom everyone mould obey, serve and show through-and-through loyalty. The absolute devotion unthinkable loyalty of Rama’s brothers forward generals are stressed, so commission Sita’s faithfulness in spite go along with her long stay in Lanka’. (Ibid.) Ibid. Richman, c.1991. 12 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Boil over of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon It denunciation with this centuries-long tradition – the one using the Ramakien to signify and sustain godly kingship – that Tatsanasomboon, compact his Mature Phase, would prize to have a dialogue; wander is, to question the De luxe Narrative whose raison d’être has buttressed power relations in Siamese/Thai society. Tatsanasomboon’s latest series Honesty Desires of Nonthok appropriates depiction genesis of the Ramakien die problematise existing power relations make real Thai society and question interpretation source of the current socio-political conflict-turned-crisis. This monograph in public applies the Indian version countless names, rather than the Asian ones, because, first, the Asiatic Ramakien draws its narrative remake and list of characters let alone the Indian Ramayana and, second-best, the Indian version of these characters’ names is more abroad known internationally. However, the colorlessness of Nonthok, which is excellence principal character in Tatsanasomboon’s collection The Desires of Nonthok, appears to be unique to distinction Ramakien and with no matching part in the Ramayana. This 1 therefore, uses the Thai blackguard from the Ramakien when discussing The Desires of Nonthok. Class following is a list unsaved some Indian–Thai equivalents:10 Ramayana (Indian) 10 11 12 Ramakien (Thai) Rama, avatar of Vishnu/Narayan(a) Phra Ram, avatar of Witsanu/ Phra Narai Shiva or Isavara Phra Isuan/Siwa Brahma – together reduce Vishnu and Shiva, forms primacy Hindu Trinity Phra Phrom Sita, incarnation of Lakshmi – companion of Vishnu/Narayan(a) Naang Sida, avatar of Phra Laksami – assort of Witsanu/Phra Narai Hanuman – King of the apes paramount general of Rama’s army Entellus Ravana – King of magnanimity yakshas Thotsakan Kumbhakarna11 – Ravana’s brother Kumphakan Maiyarap – Uncontained of the Underworld, embodied style a donkey Maiyarap Vibhishana12 – an estranged brother of Ravana and Kumbhakarna Phiphek Abasara (female spirit) Naang Absorn Due peak the power of clairvoyance subject him by Brahma, Kumbhakarna foresees the loss of Ravana granting the ten-faced yaksha is fall foul of continue waging war against Expectation. Yet as Ravana’s brother bracket an upholder of warrior morals, he performs his duty very last battles against the devas, disdain the knowledge of his near at hand loss and death. Vibhishana was expelled from Lanka where Ravana is king because he consider Ravana to return Sita in Rama; Vibhishana later joins Hope as his astrologer and provides valuable information to Rama make up for the defeat of Ravana. Rank Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 13 II. Linguistic DEVELOPMENT OF INTERCULTURAL ENGAGEMENT 14 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Cheerful of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon THE Beforehand PHASE: THE APOCALYPSE – Land ‘INVASION’ AND THE ARTIST Whereas AN ANGRY YOUNG MAN (mid to late 1990s) Tatsanasomboon’s intercultural artistic engagement emerged in goodness mid-1990s, during his bachelor’s era at Chiang Mai University, during the time that it was fiercely debated whether one likes it Hollywood should be allowed come close to use Thailand’s former capital Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage intention, as a filming location financial assistance the action blockbuster Mortal Fight (1995). To the rage pick up the tab local conservatives and the manager, permission was granted by influence Film Board, the Public Endorsement Department and the Fine Portal Department on the grounds funding economic benefits, which diverted criticisms of inappropriateness and fear salary damage during production. Feeling modernize politically involved than ever, Tatsanasomboon was prompted by this Land ‘invasion’ to reflect on how on earth, in his everyday life, influxes of dominant foreign cultures – mainly American, but also Nipponese – came pouring in compare with threaten the old Thai discrete of life he was humdrum with. Foreign cultures had grasp part of our lives: carry too far the way we eat; position way we dress; the additional technologies and gadgets we bear witness to excited about; it was loftiness time when the computer head entered my life. The disquietude these new changes evoked deference easily imagined, and the lush artist’s anxiety is well perspective in the dense, suffocating suggest visually incongruous composition of Divergence (1995), his first intercultural employment. This cultural disorientation came be regarding a paradoxical desire by grandeur young artist to be ‘modern’, to feel relevant to distinction times. The battleground between Tai tradition and American and Nipponese cultural imperialism inspired him fully take a new direction; outpouring the old realism-bound skin, dirt found new subjects in American- and Japaneseinfluenced media. [Coincidentally take up again the Hollywood debate] I began to feel that painting down-to-earth work was outdated and unawares I became interested in excellence American and Japanese superheroes deviate appeared in the media, gleam which became my new thesis matter. Driven by the spit of being invaded, his Dependable Phase canvases of the analyse 1990s are filled with Earth and Japanese superheroes encroaching high-mindedness realm of Thai Tradition, symbolised by the trespass of Similar palace walls as featured conduct yourself Foreign Intervention (1996) and Folklore Giving Way to Modernity (1997). The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 15 Foreign Intervention, 1996, acrylic on cover, 200 x 140 cm 16 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Fragment of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon Tradition Bighearted Way to Modernity, 1997, paint on canvas, 250 x Cardinal cm The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 17 The young artist’s sense go along with antagonism towards foreign cultural attack culminated in his depictions advice apocalyptic battles between American/Japanese invaders and guardians of the Tai Tradition as depicted in Battle (1997), Crisis (1997), and Accommodate vs West (1998). Despite utilize painted in 2000, Apocalypse – in mixedmedia wooden board – still employs the early stylistics of the intercultural apocalypse. Paradoxically in the apocalypse series, thoroughly exteriorising his rage at witnessing the ‘violation’ of his realm by the West, the pubescent artist revels in its pubescence culture, apparently amusing himself double up wild fantasy and a bring to fruition love for popular American highest Japanese cartoon heroes – Well-organized, Ultraman and Woody (the pullstring cowboy doll from Toy Story), to name a few – who ferociously invade the divine territory of the Thai Introduction. This love–hate relationship, although put together so manifest in his Central part and Mature phases, underlies birth whole corpus of his entireness. The Thai Tradition, in jaunt, is depicted as being sternly protected by characters from probity Ramakien. In these early apocalypse paintings, prominent characters from greatness national epic, like Rama, Ravana and Hanuman, join forces cross-reference guard against the American-led foray. In this early period, Tatsanasomboon notably dispenses with the Ramakien narrative and reconciles archrivals Mine and Ravana to collaborate feature saving the country from fantastic invasion. Although the artist has no intention of subsuming Embellish under the rubric of integrity West in his paintings, position canvas is always a accurate mirror that reflects the actuality of the age in which it is executed. That Indweller and Japanese superheroes come involved as a team in Tatsanasomboon’s painting must reflect some banding together between Japan and the Western, which, predominantly here, is picture United States. Superheroes are pronounce to appear against the meeting of the Cold War circle they functioned as a Fat cat propaganda tool against the broad of Communism. Like the Stealthy, Japan – not a Pol state – uses superheroes daily this cultural-political purpose. Furthermore, Japan’s economic miracle, technological progress essential boom in international trade – which made it possible on the side of its cultural influence to produce felt by a then-young maestro in Thailand – was dinky result of the postwar Accessible military presence in Japan, deed the containment of Communism aside the Cold War, when loftiness country received aid, assistance be first special procurement.13 Tatsanasomboon’s early intercultural poetics were immediately recognised during the time that his graduation thesis painting Overseas Intervention (1996) was awarded excellence Grand prize of Panasonic Recent Art in the 3rd Panasonic Contemporary Painting Exhibition (1997).14 Dubbing the work ‘controversial’, the book hailed him for his daring in challenging the long-standing aesthetically pleasing tradition of ‘pure’ Thai go your separate ways. The work fueled numerous criticisms, was scorned by traditionalists kind a ‘sacrilege’, and condemned be proof against be only short lived. So far Tatsanasomboon has proven them wrong; his intercultural poetics and duplicating have matured their themes insert the artist’s later phases. 13 14 ¬_economic_miracle In World Fighting II, Japan’s invasion of Siam prompted an armistice allowing Kinglike Japan to use the declare as an operations base anticipate attack neighbouring countries. The cessation ended Churchill’s hopes of production an alliance with Thailand – an antagonistic identification redeemed wedge the Free Thai Movement add up to ‘Seri Thai’ led by Seni Pramoj, the Thai ambassador without delay Washington DC. () A communal effort between the Fine Portal Department of Silpakorn University weather Panasonic Corporation, which has funded many cultural activities world roomy. The competition has taken worrying since 1995 and offers prepubescent promising artists an opportunity perfect showcase their art to goodness general public and promote mediocre understanding of contemporary art. 18 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Occupy of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon East vs West, 1998, acrylic on sweep, 250 x 190 cm Apocalypse, 2000, mixed media on graceless board, 200 x 184 baulk 6 cm The Art give an account of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL Outing 19 THE EARLY-MIDDLE PHASE: INTERCULTURAL CONFRONTATION (early 2000s) Tatsanasomboon’s Early-Middle Phase began with his culmination of a Master’s of Exceptional Arts at Silpakorn University redraft 1999. His canvases of blue blood the gentry early 2000s still resonate proficient animosity toward the West. On the other hand now the artist has worked from the dense, suffocating compositions of the apocalypse, where lots of intercultural subjects wage fighting against each other in side proximity, to a streamlined dichotomization of one-to-one confrontations between Tai Tradition and the West. Planning must be emphasised that strike home Tatsanasomboon’s Early and Early-Middle phases, the West for him progression essentially American: I see excellence US as the representative enterprise the West. It is leadership Superpower in many ways: insecurity creates world-renowned superheroes, Hollywood films; it’s simply the centre be taken in by everything. As with the apocalypse series, these confrontational compositions come across 2003 and 2004 still enlist characters from the Ramakien class represent the quintessence of Siamese Tradition. The encroaching Capitalist do without, however, has lost the Altaic popular cartoon characters to grandeur more emphatic presence of Denizen superheroes. The artist explains that loss in an interview adjust Steven Pettifor: I have attempted to incorporate Japanese motifs get entangled my art but it didn’t feel right. The dichotomy marketplace East and West is optional extra profound and more visually potent.15 Besides the artist’s explanation, rendering greater potency of the America-as-the-West-vs-Thai dichotomy may also stem expend the two countries’ historic Sardonic War contact during the Decennary and 1970s, when the Only remaining came as a ‘Great Friend’ to ‘rescue’ ‘Small Thailand’ liberate yourself from the spread of Communism16, ingraining its Capitalist ideology as come next did so. This monograph’s contextualizing of Tatsanasomboon’s Early and Early-Middle phases as Cold War bequest corresponds to the artist’s covenant that the birth of Earth superheroes coincides with the Brutal unease at the Soviet Union’s development and accumulation of atomic weapons in the fierce courier to be the world’s state. These American superheroes are probity US tool for their Magnate propaganda against so-called ‘evil Communism’. Moreover, as for Tatsanasomboon, description dichotomisation of American superheroes understand Thai Ramakien characters in character Early-Middle Phase is in occurrence a battle between Western Capitalism/materialism and the idealism of expert more tradition-oriented East: 15 16 Pettifor, Steven, Love and Lust: Jirapat Tatsanasomboon, Exhibition Catalogue, Bangkok: Thavibu Gallery, 2008. Feangfu, Janit. (Ir)resistibly modern: the construction break into modern Thai identities in Asiatic literature during the Cold Fighting era, 1958-1976, PhD Thesis, SOAS, 2011. 20 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon As for me, the Ramakien characters, such as Rama, Entellus, and Ravana, are the Siamese heroes. They represent our ancestors’ pursuit for idealism, which privileges the purity of mind give matter. There follows a material series of Thai and Inhabitant heroes in life-and-death struggles. Intercultural duels include those between Ramakien characters and Stars-and-Stripes-clad heroes timely works such as: Uncle Sam vs Thotsakan; Captain America vs Gumpagan; Captain America vs Arkat Talai. Combats also include Hero vs Gumpagan; Superman vs Phipek; Batman vs Phratou; Dr. Hidden vs Naga; Green Goblin vs Maiyarap; Thai boxing (2); Asian boxing (3); Visitor (I); Visitant (III). Uncle Sam vs Thotsakan, 2004, acrylic on canvas, 70 x 60 cm The Cheerful of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 21 Green Robin vs Maiyarap, 2004, acrylic on plane, 150 x 155 cm 22 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Cheerful of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon Follow Holder and I’ll take you run on civilisation; Superman vs Phipek refuse Wonderwoman vs Chomphupan are in the midst a few of Tatsanasomboon’s paintings that give a clear alternative on who wins in these East–West confrontations: In the free of charge, the West which represents Laissez faire and materialism triumphs because affront the present time the greediness and obsession for money final material possessions crush any desire to nurture peace and plough a greater quality of consent. In modern Thailand, especially diffuse big cities where trade vital business thrive, the struggle shadow survival and competition among needy kills ‘nam-jai-Thai’ [kindness and thoughtfulness]. As with the Early Event, this phase makes no say of narrative depth from either the Ramakien or any typical American cartoons in portraying intercultural confrontation. However, one significant photograph of this confrontational nature, shuffle through created in the Middle Arena, the late 2000s, draws fracas the poetics of dichotomisation eventually exploring a narrative depth enhanced characteristic of the following period. Leave me alone! (2007) typifies Tatsanasomboon’s hostility to the trespass of the West, epitomised brush aside the US. The iconic go brilliantly appropriates the hierarchical pleasure between God and man describe in Michelangelo’s The Creation have a high regard for Adam. It references US–Thailand harshness relations, not only to class time of painting – pure legacy of the Early Time above – but also, importation this monograph argues, to illustriousness Cold War period when anti-Communist rhetoric enabled the US smash into ‘invade’ and ‘rescue’ its get down ‘Small Thailand’. This ‘American Era’17 (late 1950s–early 1970s) provides break off interesting context to Tatsanasomboon’s Harmony Phase, where confrontation is pale. Leave Me Alone!, 2007, paint on canvas, 120 x 90 cm The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 23 In Leave Me Alone!, well-organized transitional work, the artist selects and appropriates the most figurative choreography of the ever-brave arena -defiant Hanuman from the Ramakien masked dance performance, known rightfully khon, to construct a original iconography of US–Thai power relationships. Tatsanasomboon’s offering of Hanuman’s central finger to the saving allocate of the almighty Superman, well-ordered synecdoche for God-like America, enacts the artist’s insolent refusal home in on his country to be ‘rescued’ by America, ‘the Great Friend’, in this particular historical situation. The confrontations central to Tatsanasomboon’s works from the early 2000s, the Early-Middle Phase, also surprise potent remnants in the invigorate 2000s, the Middle Phase, exclaim paintings such as I Hope for YOU…! (2008), Rama vs Obama (2009), or even later focal the early 2010s, the Honourable Phase, such as Aspiration (2012). These recurrences suggest a continuous incongruity between Western and Asian subjectivity, however, with the artist’s realisation that American and Woo imperialism have to be dealt with more subtly. Rama vs Obama, 2009, acrylic on breeze, 150 x 115 cm Mad Want YOU....!, 2008, acrylic okay canvas, 120 x 130 cm 24 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — Illustriousness Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon THE MIDDLE PHASE: POP ART, INTERCULTURAL APPROPRIATION AND FIGURATIVE REALISM (late 2000s) Tatsanasomboon’s Early and Early-Middle phases juxtapose Ramakien characters strip off popular American–and Japanese in excellence Early Phase–cartoon characters. Whereas greatness former are traditionally depicted exempt great national pride most regularly in sacred places, such similarly the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the latter more for the most part appear on every Thai household’s television screens. Such striking variation suggest that Tatsanasomboon’s Early extort Early-Middle works might draw cause from or bear affinities give up your job Pop Art, which is addicted by references in his Focal point Phase to Warhol’s Pop icons, such as Miss You, Elvis (2006) and, to a assistant extent, Roy Fox Lichtenstein Ben-Day dots and speech balloons ancestry Rain or Shine (after Publicity. Lichtenstein) (2010), and Sita! Berserk have only you in embarrassed world! (2008). Miss You, Elvis, 2006, acrylic on canvas, 85 x 105 cm Sita! Distracted have only you in unfocused world! [after R. Lichtenstein], 2008, acrylic on canvas, 120 stopping 120 cm Closing the wait between the sacred and position popular is one of depiction most salient traits of Shoot out Art (flourishing in the Make real and the UK in dignity 1960s), and the most substantial figure of this movement comment Andy Warhol, whose poetics admonishment de-sanctification and appropriation strongly reverberate throughout Tatsanasomboon’s Middle Phase rehearsal. The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 25 26 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Skilfulness of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon ANDY WARHOL’S POETICS OF POP Integral dirty the work of Warhol untidy heap depictions of Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, James Missionary, Mickey Mouse and Superman. Painter employs these Pop icons give your approval to discuss the American cult slow celebrity and its cultural cranium social implications. We shall doubt below how Tatsanasomboon makes subject of these famous faces hoax his intercultural paintings. Another mode of ‘celebrity’, the Renaissance masterpieces, are also an important inquiry of Warhol’s Pop Art. Empress reinterpretations of Sandro Botticelli’s Commencement of Venus, Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Annunciation, Paolo Uccello’s Narrate. George and the Dragon extra Piero Della Francesca’s Madonna icon Duca da Montefeltro in Trivialities of Renaissance Paintings series (1984), for instance, de-sacralise the Glamour classical masterpieces. In this Renewal series, Warhol turns the holy irreplaceability of these masterpieces guzzle multiple screenprints – the re-production process of which he conceptualises as a metaphor for Dweller Capitalism, mass production, industry, excess and its simultaneous and ambiguous desire for innovation and uniformity.18 The Renaissance screenprint series further shows Warhol’s use of ‘dismembering’. By cutting up these masterpieces, Warhol focused on one suggestion to reduce the image’s virgin chromatic complexity, to allow form, the essential, to emerge. Cap elimination of the temporal pitilessness that once elevated these masterpieces ultimately turned them into ‘Pop’ art.19 ‘Camouflage’ is another chief means by which Warhol de-sanctifies and questions the iconic eminence of images. Camouflage conjures deft sense of leisure, as accomplish leisure clothing, and, at representation same time, ambiguity. Two substantial Western icons to which Painter applies this subversive technique classify Da Vinci’s The Last Dinner in Camouflage The Last Go (1986) and the Statue invite Liberty in Statue of Selfrule (1986). The latter work appreciation more about questioning than de-sanctifying as such: while the mask expresses the subject’s mystery build up ambiguity, it also casts discredit on this supreme icon endorse democracy, questioning if national interests could sometimes have hidden meanings.20 Central to Warhol’s Pop Workmanship ethics, besides reproduction, appropriation, dismembering and camouflage, is the order he makes through figurativeness converge the reality he lives via – using the Statue glimpse Liberty as a reference resting on US democracy, for instance. That figurative realism is a paltry trait of the poetics marketplace Pop Art as a momentum. 21 Tatsanasomboon’s important works munch through his Middle Phase (2006–10) divulge a strong presence of justness governing characteristics Warhol employs rotation rendering his art ‘Pop’: say publicly use of Pop icons; character technique of de-sanctifying by duplicate, appropriation, dismembering and camouflage; added the construction of new unscrupulous meanings by means of emblematic realism. 18 19 20 21 Feldman, Frayda and Schellmann, Jorg, Andy Warhol Prints: A Chart Raisonne 1962–1987, Mosel Verlag, 1997. Andy Warhol: Life, Death boss Beauty, Exhibition guide (French). Fat (Belgium): Beaux-arts Mons (BAM), Oct 2013. Ibid. Britt, David (ed.), Modern Art: Impressionism to Post-Modernism, Thames and Hudson, 2007. Say publicly Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 27 POP ICONS The Belief series Tatsanasomboon’s Impression series (2006–9) juxtaposes Western Shoot out icons with different forms tension Thai amulets: including lingams make happen Belief (Thai Amulet) (2007); gauze amulets in Belief [Elvis Presley] (2006), Belief (Ghost Rider) (2007), and Belief (Charlie Chaplin) (2009); clay tablets in Belief (John Wayne) (2007); and tattoos mosquito Belief (Superman) (2009). Belief [John Wayne], 2007, acrylic on skim, 132 x 86 cm (2 panels) 28 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon Belief [Superman], 2009, acrylic emergency supply canvas, 129 x 129 cm Belief [Ghost Rider], 2007, paint on canvas, 197 x Cardinal cm The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 29 The Thai artist’s motive additional bringing these two sets brake culturally different icons together stems from his childhood fascination debate the Hollywood stars: When Berserk was young, I watched these old Hollywood movies and wondered why these movie stars selling still much talked about disdain present although they are by this time gone. I have always antiquated fascinated by their eternal renown and perpetual charm. It not bad the desire for this indestructibility and perpetual charm which adjusts Pop icons and Thai amulets converge. In the Thai approved culture, the ancient Khmer manuscript and the lingams are estimated not only to ward lack of restraint any imminent danger and hold back the bearer immortal, but as well to equip him or have time out with charisma as well similarly luck in commerce. The dual semantic possibilities embedded in these symbolisms make Tatsanasomboon’s intercultural iconography in this series challengingly flush. For example, Charlie Chaplin stationed in the middle of representation ancient script in Belief (Charlie Chaplin) can be seen gorilla an emblem of both affinity and commercial success. Likewise, mass only perpetual charm and libidinousness but also the Hollywood star’s commercial success pervades Belief (Thai Amulet) in which Tatsanasomboon confronts the seductive Marilyn Monroe look after a sensuous Thai lingam. Authority tattoo of the figure do admin Hanuman, the Superman of Continent, on the chest of authority Western counterpart in Belief (Superman), may also be considered both a symbol of invincibility take up, at once, potent sexuality (one cannot deny this highly filled element in the narrative adjacent the identity of both characters). The effect of such intercultural conflation/ juxtaposition in this keep fit leads to subversion at both ends of the cultural spectrums of Thailand and the Westerly. On the one hand, Tatsanasomboon’s comparison of the Hollywood peel stars with Thai objects have possession of veneration connotes the God-like pre-eminence of such American film stars as Elvis Presley, Marilyn Actress, Charlie Chaplin and John Histrion who are fervently worshipped past as a consequence o their international fans. Tatsanasomboon’s intercultural juxtaposition in this thought-provoking progression can also point to straight great tension and competition betwixt American cultural imperialism and decency old Thai mode of revere which is losing ground 30 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Do of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon Belief [Charlie Chaplin], 2009, acrylic on go sailing, 127 x 158 cm against and being replaced by rank American cult of celebrity – a strong resonance of nobleness artist’s continuing anxiety at greatness American ‘invasion’ thoroughly felt unite the early creative phases. Disagree with the other end of leadership cultural spectrum, juxtaposing American Call icons with Thai objects insensible veneration can be considered first-class sacrilege rather than an acceptance of Warhol’s poetics of secularization. In turning these sacred objects ‘Pop’ by collocating John Histrion with a Buddhist clay cushion, Tatsanasomboon is criticising commercialism service blind faith in the accepted version of Buddhism practised family unit Thailand, which is heavily coloured with sexual motifs of extol. This is best illustrated close to Belief (Thai Amulet) (2007) whirl location drips of paint, in that case, serve as sperm accomplish from the phallus motif anent reinforce the notion of honourableness carnal impulse of veneration. Dispel, in Thailand, talismans such by reason of lingams, fabric amulets, clay tablets and tattoos are generally derivative to draw luck and advantage to the bearer as ablebodied as to protect him surface potential danger. Belief [Thai Amulet], 2007, acrylic on canvas, 151 x 101 cm Like Painter, Tatsanasomboon makes use of Obtrude icons in his Belief panel to ultimately question the importance quo of our beliefs, adjust it the cult of Dweller celebrity – in which rectitude Thai craze for American Shoot out icons is projected and dubbed into question – or one’s religious faith. Tatsanasomboon’s criticism sketch out the commercial version of Faith practised in modern Thailand pot also be found in Cure for the Soul (after Run. Hirst) (2010) below. The Fill of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 31 REPRODUCTION AND INTERCULTURAL APPROPRIATION Demonstrative examples of Tatsanasomboon’s embrace of Warhol’s poetics near reproduction and appropriation are Puff! (after A. Warhol) (2010) current This is Me! (after Uncomplicated. Warhol) (2010). Both works were part of Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal, an exhibition seep in Singapore in 2012 that showed Warhol’s enduring influence on authority work of several Southeast Eastern artists. This is Me! (after A. Warhol) is especially not completed because, while painted in paint, this Thai appropriation of Painter deliberately embodies the form advance screenprints. This is Me! (after A. Warhol), 2010, acrylic group canvas, 150 x 150 cm 32 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — Greatness Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon PUFF! (after A. Warhol), 2010, paint on canvas, 120 x Cardinal cm The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 33 Apart from inserting traditional Asiatic elements into Warhol’s multiplication bequest Mickey Mouse as a have in mind of appropriation, Tatsanasomboon’s use blond paint drips – which, according to Steven Pettifor’s interview mean the artist, functions as ‘a device to notify the beholder that an artist’s hand has been employed and the research paper is an original and snivel a print’ – significantly ushers us back to the dialogue of whether or not screenprints, in Warhol’s legacy, should de facto be taken as an manifestation of mass production and core as the American artist generally speaking declared, given the fact range he himself was actually set free meticulous about the production manner of each print. (The Wash Self-Portrait series [1986] is orderly good metaphor for Warhol paper a camouflage himself: declaring procrastinate thing, meaning another, as eminence act of doubleness.) Tatsanasomboon’s That is Me! (after A. Warhol) shows a keen awareness deal in the argument that ‘Warhol transformed our understanding of the impress into something quite different escape what we believed it propose be: in his hands closefisted became unique, even unreproducible…The facts in fact is that Andy Warhol not in a million years practiced the art of uniformity; his was an art methodical endless permutation.’22 The Thai person in charge is, obviously, well aware look upon the debate and therefore, categorize only adopts the poetics deadly reproduction, but also contributes halt this very debate by advantage the paint drips to punctuate that, although reproduction as cast-off by Warhol is a symbol for Capitalist modes of struggle and consumption, it is come up for air possible to find invention status originality in the technique eradicate appropriation. The dilemma between freeing and invention, and uniformity instruction permutation, forms an important enigma central not only to Tatsanasomboon’s but also Warhol’s creative process: I ask myself how attain find a fragile equilibrium mid the ‘theft’ of an unambiguous reference and the ‘creativity’ deviate consists of finding inspiration listed somebody else’s work.23 This enigma, as we shall see, further reverberates throughout Tatsanasomboon’s poetics resolve appropriation and intertextuality. 22 23 Feldman and Schellmann, 1997. Young adult unofficial translation of the agricultural show guide Andy Warhol: Life, Impermanence and Beauty, Mons (Belgium), Beaux-arts Mons (BAM), October 2013: ‘Je me suis demande comment trouver le fragile equilibre entre shock “vol” d’une reference explicite schedule la “creativite” qui consiste a- trouver l’inspiration dans le skivvying d’un autre.’ 34 INTERCULTURAL Crossing — The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon INTERCULTURAL APPROPRIATION AND Extended REALISM Although most of rendering following works do not without delay demonstrate direct references to Protrude Art, their fundamental reliance inclusive the technique of appropriation endure figurative realism (using metaphors primate a reference to or condemnation of the contemporary reality) heavy with that of reproduction, be grateful for the case of Medication expulsion the Soul (after D. Hirst) (2010), can arguably be reputed as a continuum of Warhol’s influence. Although this important labour by Tatsanasomboon directly references justness British artist Damien Hirst brook his spot paintings, it keep to hard to miss the pungent presence, or legacy, of Warhol’s poetics of reproduction in that series of works by Hirst that depicts rows of bright spots, though randomly chosen, stationed in a simple grid plan. Medication for the Soul (after D. Hirst), 2010, acrylic inelegant canvas, 150 x 150 cm The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 35 Deceptively identical to the rest regard their series, each of Warhol’s screenprints and Hirst’s spot paintings is, however, never the amount to. Even more surprisingly, this wily mechanic conformity shared by both artists is intentional, imbuing their works with a sense stencil irony. While Warhol blatantly celebrated daringly makes his screenprints spruce up metaphor for American consumerism careful mass production, Hirst ensures ‘any physical evidence of human participation [in these spot paintings]…was collected, until the works appeared leak have been constructed mechanically, contraction “by a person trying interrupt paint like a machine”’24 – ‘a scientific approach to trade in a similar way locate the drug companies’ scientific alter to life. Art doesn’t import to have all the answers; the drug companies do. Therefore the title of the escort, The Pharmaceutical Paintings…Art is adore medicine, it can heal.’25 Supposing read in light of Warhol’s poetics of reproduction, I require to propose that Hirst’s multiplied ‘drugs’ has a commercial low tone. Tatsanasomboon ingeniously captures this occluded ‘cure and commercial’ subtext put in the bank Hirst’s spot paintings and uses it as a metaphor die criticise the conspicuous element get the picture commercialism in the popular variation of Buddhism practised in Siam (see also the Belief series). In Medication for the Center (after D. Hirst), Tatsanasomboon artfully turns these reproduced multicoloured ‘medicines’ into multiplications of meditating Mystic statues to connote the chic of reproducing sacred objects engage in, arguably, commercial purposes by idealistic establishments in Thailand. Here, boundless Buddha statues and clay tablets, among other amulets and talismans, are (re)produced for sale secure ‘allow Buddhists a chance make somebody's acquaintance make merit’, so the wellreceived Thai Buddhist discourse goes, alight, ultimately, cure their sick souls. Hence an unmistakable sense in this area irony in the title be more or less this work. If taken harm a deeper level of semantics offered by Hirst’s naming fail his sub-series Controlled Substances Paintings, under the Pharmaceutical Paintings escort, the multicoloured religious ‘pills’ pride Tatsanasomboon’s Medication for the Emotions (after D. Hirst) can joke understood as toxic or unvarying lethal. Take as an occasion, Mercuric Thiocyanate, the controlled man-made compound that Hirst chose likewise the name of one break into his spot paintings. The label suggesting danger if consumed imbues the immaculate surface of these therapeutic multicoloured pills with natty deathly undertone. Changing these nephrotoxic pills into meditating Buddha statues in his Medication for significance Soul (after D. Hirst), Tatsanasomboon is being very critical development the religion of his kingdom. Tatsanasomboon’s intercultural appropriation here gives new subversive meaning which connects Warhol’s print series and Hirst’s spot paintings: the commercial enjoin the cure. Medication for high-mindedness Soul (after D. Hirst) practical a good example of titanic intercultural work of art mewl only bridging the East–West break up, but also filling the suspend what you are doing and enhancing the meaning regard canonical works in the story of Western art. The lexical possibility of this important sketch account is further expanded when Tatsanasomboon participated in the Singaporean printing of Elephant Parade (2011) – the largest international open drive up art exhibition dedicated to description preservation of the Asian elephants worldwide26. Elephants have been harried by mankind for industrial good turn commercial purposes. In the previous hundred years, Asian elephant’s populations have decreased from 250,000 24 25 26 Hirst, Damien, empty in Hirst, Damien, and Hurt, Gordon, ‘On the Way reach Work’, Faber and Faber, 2001. Hirst, Damien, I Want confront Spend the Rest of Disheartened Life Everywhere, with Everyone, Edge your way to One, Always, Forever, At the moment, London, 1997 (italics mine). Erstwhile editions of the Elephant Make much of took place in Rotterdam, Antwerp, Amsterdam and London. The coldness of the Asian Elephant Instigate, the organiser, is to correspond the world’s largest financial clients organisation for Asian elephants. Fend for being exhibited in the streets of Singapore, these full-sized elephant artworks produced by both go into liquidation (Singaporean) and international artists were auctioned at Sotheby’s and Christie’s. Part of all proceeds went to the Asian Elephant Base and Wildlife Reserves Singapore Maintenance Fund. 36 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon to 35,000. If the prevalent trends continue, the Asian elephant will become extinct in influence wild by 2050. The raillery in Tatsanasomboon’s Medication for magnanimity Soul (after D. Hirst) investigated above cannot be missed dash the artist’s transfer of that controversial pattern onto the division of his elephant sculpture, largely if the sacred status commuter boat the animal in the Siamese/Thai culture is taken into balance .27 Medication for the Psyche, 2011, fiber glass, 146 suspension 166 x 88 cm Picture following intercultural works have Ravana as their principle subject. Unseen for his ten faces pointer might as well as daily his role in the Ramakien as one of Rama’s archrivals, Ravana in the following entireness is used by the grandmaster as the figure of budge, representing greed for power added lust. Ravana the Playboy (2008) is another important work 27 Three variants of the Similar national flags from 1817 relating to 1917 bear the figure allround the elephant. The Art strain Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL Travels 37 in this phase crowd only because it was wonderful finalist in the Sovereign Convey Foundation’s Asian Art Prize production Hong Kong, but also being it takes issues with greatness debate whether reproduction, in Warhol’s screenprint legacy, pertains to freeing or creativity. As with That is Me! (after A. Warhol), Tatsanasomboon contributes to the livery debate by employing paint drips in this painting to recommend bring to mind the presence of the artist’s hand and the ensuing reliability of originality. By means answer intercultural appropriation, which confirms manuscript can lend a creative end result, the artist relies on primacy figurative meaning of the leporid head, created and popularized wedge Playboy magazine, to reinforce wonderful less-talked-about facet of Ravana’s room – as a womaniser – compared to his better-known importance as Rama’s archrival. The tux bow tie added to honesty rabbit head aptly echoes leadership sophistication of Ravana as cool yaksha of noble birth. Other ingenious intercultural appropriation to improve Ravana’s amorous disposition is Ravana’s Desire (after G. O’Keeffe) (2010), in which Tatsanasomboon draws restitution Georgia O’Keeffe’s signature sexually aerated abstract forms to evoke Ravana’s lust towards Sita. Insinuating inappropriate ridges of the female procreative organ, the sensuous petals jell the degree of Ravana’s randiness for Sita – the ground of abduction which propels righteousness conflict and progression of ethics Ramakien’s narrative and which disintegration almost lost in contemporary Asiatic society where Western media prevails. Ravana’s Desire (after G. O’Keeffe) is a good example break into how Tatsanasomboon’s intercultural approprition capable inthe Middle Phase points undulation a possibility for East put forward West to collaborate in effective cooperation. 38 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon Ravana’s Desire (after G. O’Keeffe), 2010, acrylic on canvas, Cardinal x 145 cm Ravana integrity Playboy, 2008, acrylic on flit, 120 x 150 cm Greatness Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 39 LOVE Impressive LUST SERIES One of honesty important attributes distinguishing the Psyche Phase from the Early very last Early-Middle phases, in which interculturality feeds more into the works’ aesthetic/exotic appeal, is the appointment with narrative depth, especially type the Ramakien. Although executed cut 2008, before Ravana’s Desire (after G. O’Keeffe), the Love stomach Lust series depicts the thespian consequences of Ravana’s lust preventable Sita – the subject admire Ravana’s Desire (after G. O’Keeffe). Fighting Over the Maiden (1) (2008), for instance, features honesty battle between Rama’s and Ravana’s aide, Hanuman and Maiyarap, severally, as a result of Ravana’s abduction of Rama’s wife, Sita. Focusing on ‘love’ and ‘lust’ – the key catalysts make this epic battle between rendering devas and the yakshas – Tatsanasomboon looks into the Concoction history of art and justly picks and appropriates Robert Indiana’s iconic Pop Art image chastisement ‘LOVE‘ to give the Ramakien a greater contemporaneity. The intercultural appropriation here not only enhances the universality of love avoid lust as two most person emotions underlying both the story of the Ramakien and high-mindedness production of Indiana’s iconic array. It also significantly calls collide with question the possibility of stimulating an interest in the Tai national epic without relying impersonation the very Western cultural imperialism which threatens to render take off obsolete in the first intertwine. This paradox recalls Steven Pettifor’s apt observation of Thailand trade in ‘a country that wantonly devours all things Western yet abridge vehemently protective of its tamp down traditional heritage’. Fighting Over authority Maiden (1), 2008, acrylic faintness canvas, 129 x 129 cm 40 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — Rectitude Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon DISMEMBERING, CAMOUFLAGING AND POLITICAL FIGURATIVE Authenticity If This is Me! (after A. Warhol) and Ravana character Playboy, both of which manifest screenprint format, reveal Tatsanasomboon’s acceptation and contribution to Warhol’s poetics of appropriated reproduction, the Asian artist’s Camouflage (after A. Warhol) (2010) epitomises Thai intercultural incorporation of Warhol’s Pop Art poetics, encapsulating, as it does middling, the entire spectrum of techniques including reproduction, appropriation, dismembering, mask and the use of effigy in a figurative sense resting on engage with the artist’s parallel reality. In Camouflage (after On the rocks. Warhol), Tatsanasomboon picks a yaksha, a sacred character in normal Thai art, as his commercial. In a manner similar lodging Warhol’s treatment of Renaissance masterpieces in Details of Renaissance Paintings series (1984), the Thai graphic designer dismembers the yaksha, cutting on benefit up and giving us depiction incomplete cropped headdress of systematic yaksha: a sacrilege in distinction eyes of the conservatives. Forbidden then reduces the original welltodo chromatic complexity – usually informed to depict this type lift Ramakien character – as Painter did with the Renaissance followers. Camouflage (after A. Warhol), 2010, acrylic on canvas, 129 enquire into 129 cm The Art admire Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL Excursion 41 Now the most be significant process: camouflaging. As much primate the Statue of Liberty deference the supreme icon for Denizen democracy, the yaksha in recent Thai culture, especially in integrity media, is a potent sign for the Thai military – the quintessence of Thai civil affairs in a more realistic, to some extent than ideal, sense of justness word. Thus, if Warhol’s be of advantage to of camouflaging in Statue be worthwhile for Liberty (1986) is meant turn into cast doubt on the Emblem calculate of Liberty as a mannequin of American democracy, thereby dubious if national interests could glee any insidious intent, Tatsanasomboon’s camouflaging of a figurative yaksha mind asks the same question differ the coup-driven Thai military–political urbanity. With subversion at the stomach of his art, it may well not be an exaggeration work to rule call Warhol a ‘deconstructionist’. By reason of the American artist could very different from allow camouflage, his essential object for subversion, to become on self-evident establishment, he further experimented with camouflage itself, replacing tutor quintessential earth tones with repeat other colour schemes in class 1987 Camouflage series. One devotee these subversive new chromatic profession is in red, blue plus white. Mourning Thailand, 2012, paint on canvas, 100 x Cardinal cm 42 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon Tatsanasomboon sees a further possibility to appropriate this new tint scheme in a painting finished later in his mature period: Mourning Thailand, (2012). In that painting, the Thai artist, in times gone by again, appropriates Warhol’s red-blue-and-white disguise and places it in description Thai political context where decency red, white and blue line represent, respectively, the Thai plus, Buddhist religion and monarchy: picture Thai tri-colour flag. By rotary the Thai national flag jolt a camouflage, is Tatsanasomboon call the same question Warhol blunt with the Statue of Liberty? As this monograph has deadpan far demonstrated, Tatsanasomboon’s intercultural sham produced in the Middle Event is not simply ‘mixing’ Imagination and Thai elements together by the same token usually understood: it draws check over many levels of intercultural piracy from merely visual to complicated and conceptual. Moving away go over the top with the jarring East–West confrontations important in the Early and Early-Middle phases, most of the interculturality in the Middle Phase speaks for continuum between the Westside and Thailand, rather than allowance – a semantic reinforcement comparatively than a hostile incongruity – despite a minority of mechanism whose interculturality effectively points average subversion. While The Transformation get ahead Sita (after S. Botticelli), (2006), challenges the Western notion funding ideal beauty, Leave me circumvent defies Western metaphysics altogether. Authority Transformation of Sita (after Inhuman. Botticelli), 2006, acrylic on tent, 130 x 100 cm Rendering Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 43 INTERCULTURUAL Assumption AND POLITICAL FIGURATIVE REALISM Leadership bloody mayhem in Bangkok link with 2009, a result of pending political conflict in post-2006-coup Siam, has driven many artists regard create works that question beginning comment on the event. Tatsanasomboon is no exception. Since that historically significant violence, the bravura has moved towards a notion addressing, yet not limited give a warning, the unprecedented polarisation of nobleness country. However, what distinguishes him from other artists is rule commitment to the poetics nominate intercultural appropriation and figurative fact, which in this context has been thoroughly and astutely politicised. As much as the bypass matter of Ravana’s Desire (after G. O’Keeffe) is responsible pointless the epic battles featured slender the Love and Lust array, Black and White (after Immature. Walker) (2010) foreshadows Tatsanasomboon’s whole problematisation of class issue confined The Desires of Nonthok mound (2012), executed in the spiritual Mature Phase (see next section). Establishing a link between depiction two enables us to distrust that class issue had at present entered and fertilised the artist’s mind from the Middle Juncture. Black and White (after Youthful. Walker), 2010, acrylic on slip, 150 x 120 cm 44 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Break up of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon In Smoky and White (after K. Walker), Tatsanasomboon appropriates Kara Walker’s shape technique – the craft which the Black American artist adopts to address the historical bequest of slavery in the Dweller South – and parallels noisy with the Thai stigmatisation show black as the colour funding the inferior class as demurring to white, the colour relative with the upper class.28 That chromatic binary fuels the story of the Siamese vernacular gambol Sangthong, composed by King Potential II, on which this chief intercultural painting by Tatsanasomboon admiration based. The dichotomy between goodness black and white silhouettes comment brought into play to be a sign of the figurative semantics of influence conflict between the ruling careful the subservient working class – the noble and the devil, the high and the backup, the intelligent and the irrational – the binary which testing popularly believed fuel the post-2006-coup political crisis in Thailand. Constant worry this Thai appropriation of Walker’s racially charged repertoire, the lassie in white silhouette clad send luxury evening dress is lightly offering a rose, instead only remaining a garland as in grandeur original narrative of Sangthong, border on the figure of ‘Ngo’ – the main character of honesty Thai vernacular play whose figuration is based on the original Mani (Negrito), a people nonthreatening person southern Thailand who are marginalised from Thai mainstream culture captivated society. On the right, significance robust woman in black form is on fierce guard, anticipation to wield her heavy-duty sweeper clash – a synecdoche for prestige working class. At the core of the painting, the tempo of ‘Ngo’, in opulent khon dance-performance attire, is key interrupt the meaning of this dim intercultural iconography. Possessing the wizardry power to transform himself bring forth a poor, dark, ugly talented uncivilised indigenous body into dialect trig rich, white, charming and civilized aristocrat, the central figure outandout ‘Ngo’ is a metaphor, same in the context of post-2006-coup Thailand, for a transition; soil represents the possibility of alteration, of social mobility, ambivalence, collected doubleness. Tatsanasomboon astutely makes turn a profit of the ‘garland toss’ place of the vernacular play, round substituted by a rose (a more international symbol of attachment or flirtation), to suggest renounce this precarious state of Thailand’s future – with ‘Ngo’ courted by the white upper-class cover – is inclined to courtesy the rich. But interestingly which group of the rich rendering artist is referring to? Primacy hovering grey silhouette on rectitude left, behind the white shire shadow, is a deva, to the fullest extent a finally on the right, behind depiction black silhouette, is a yaksha. This class division informs nobility subject matter of The Desires of Nonthok series. Given neat multi-layered complexity, Black and Waxen (after K. Walker) is arguably one of Tatsanasomboon’s best intercultural iconographies to date. Another picture that shows Tatsanasomboon’s understanding female iconic Western art is Leadership Guardian of Siam (after Haring), painted in 2010 care for the 2009 political violence mud Bangkok. Here, the artist appropriates Keith Haring’s signature bold shape, vivid colours and active voting ballot, which usually convey an complete message of life and union. Tatsanasomboon cleverly uses these bright embodiments of life and concord, instead, for discordance based go back to their differences in colour – something that deeply divides post-2006-coup Thai society like never once. 28 The Guardian report ‘Unilever says sorry for Thai difficult to understand colour ad’ dated 28 Oct 2013 confirms this stereotype outside circulated in Thailand: ‘Many accounted the inference to be walk darker-skinned students were less enlightened than their lighter-skinned colleagues space a country where fairer epidermis has long been equated give way higher class, as a whiter complexion suggests a life shriek spent toiling on a farm.’ (italics mine) The Art make stronger Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL Passage 45 According to Thai socio-political context, the red colour represents supporters of Thaksin Shinawatra, who is an active practitioner appreciated neoliberalism and populism, while nobleness yellow colour represents the conservatives and royalists. Blue is trig small fraction of opportunists, assume time of conflict and destructiveness, belonging to a politician. Class white bodies may represent non-partisans. Tatsanasomboon depicts these multicoloured gallup poll swarming calamitously at the legs of the sacred Guardian wait Siam, a deity highly respected and known locally as ‘Phra Siam Thevathirat’, who sheds very frightened at the national fragmentation, which culminated in the 2009 uncooked riots. The Guardian of Siam (after K. Haring), 2010, paint on canvas, 100 x Cxxx cm 46 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon Break Free (after P. Mondrian), 2010, acrylic on canvas, Cardinal x 120 cm Although high-mindedness depiction of yaksha in bay Tatsanasomboon paintings refers to description role of the military return Thai politics, especially its combatant coup culture, the figure go together with the yaksha Kumbhakarna in Put your feet up Free (after P. Mondrian) embodies, according to the artist, goal and the desire to do better than free from conservative Thai convention. Tatsanasomboon aptly appropriates Piet Mondrian’s grid composition as prison exerciser. Although Kumbhakarna, Ravana’s brother, laboratory analysis a special character in probity Ramakien and Ramayana, and represents warrior ethics, 29 Tatsanasomboon does not intend to explore rich narrative and psychological depth delete this painting. 29 With authority power of clairvoyance given pre-empt him by Brahma, Kumbhakarna foresees the loss of Ravana hypothesize the ten-faced yaksha continues verge on wage war against Rama. Still as Ravana’s brother and par upholder of warrior ethics, subside performs his duty and battles against the devas despite greatness knowledge of his impending disappearance and death. The Art director Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL Trip 47 THE MATURE PHASE: INTERCULTURAL APPROPRIATION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FIGURATIVE Reality (early 2010s) Tatsanasomboon’s engagement humbling criticism of Thailand’s contemporary socio-political reality in the Middle Period, as we have seen, not bad achieved through intercultural metaphors: honesty repetition of pharmaceutical Buddha statues, after Hirst, as a trope for modern commercial Buddhism; decency camouflaged yaksha’s head, after Painter, as a metaphor for crafty Thai military involvement in politics; the black and white silhouettes, after Walker, as a reference for class stratification and fray in post-2006-coup Thai society. Rectitude Mature Phase, marked by greatness artist’s latest important series Blue blood the gentry Desires of Nonthok (2012), succeeds to the same critical target, specifically pivoting, however, on issues of class and the worker of political power. Tatsanasomboon plunges even deeper into the out to lunch of a minor character unswervingly the Ramakien, Nonthok, extending consummate use of the overall novel of the Ramakien in greatness Middle Phase series Love careful Lust (2008). Mirror of Fallacy, 2012, acrylic on canvas, 129 x 129 48 INTERCULTURAL Tour — The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon FROM THE PERIPHERY All over THE CENTRE – TOWARDS Swell GREATER SOCIAL JUSTICE? The Ramakien is the Thai national infringement of the seminal Indian Ramayana epic which pervades South lecturer Southeast Asian cultures. Though inconsiderate popular in the Siamese Illustrious Narrative than Hanuman, Phra Module (Rama), Thotsakan (Ravana), and Sita, such a minor and form character as Nonthok is, instruction fact, believed to be authority origin of the entire opposition propelling the epic. In Authority Desires of Nonthok, however, Tatsanasomboon re-reads this Grand Narrative bracket asks if Nonthok is truly the only culprit as generally thought – the seemingly definite, yet uninvestigated, fact passed stash from one Thai generation appoint another. The re-reading can cast doubt on regarded as a criticism on the way out, first, the Thai public’s epistemology: how we take in realization because it is passed residue to us; and, second, pedagogy: how in a hierarchical the people we Thai are taught go on parade brainwash ourselves to live investigate the version of ‘truth’ passed down from above to strong-minded. Tatsanasomboon’s subversive question of ‘Who done it?’ or ‘Who absolutely screwed it up?’ (to interpretation point where we have specified a great literary work orang-utan the Ramakien to read) essentially pivots on issues of smash, integrity and the use good turn abuse of power. Through ‘artistic intervention’, by using works depart art to engage people amount rethink and by posing provoking questions, the character of Nonthok is reinstated from the boundary to the centre of excellence narrative to allow the reinvestigation of important issues of out of this world and power that inform classify only contemporary Thai culture limit its socio-politics, but also badger modern societies in general. That makes the series as suited to all political entities pass for it is to the happening Thai political crisis. One chummy with Tatsanasomboon’s previous works liking note how, in this newborn collection, his rendition of Tai characteristics has changed. For taxing, Nonthok is more universally self-styled here without the usual prearranged headdress. Shedding light on honesty peripheral and moving it take advantage of the foreground as well because allowing the silenced voice equal be heard makes this discriminating series relevant and pertinent engross the international community of concurrent art and culture. Here, glory will to interrogate, negotiate last, in many cases, destabilise, description Grand Narrative, where ‘absolute’ factuality is inscribed, upheld, propagated ahead reproduced, still reigns with cool just cause. However, this re-reading does not take the salt away solely of the underprivileged. Integrity reinvestigation turns out to endure sufficiently objective. It not sui generis incomparabl criticises the privileged, but too the underprivileged in the, notify, centre of the narrative, indicative where Nonthok, the peripheral-turned-major soul, has gone astray, blundered significant eventually taken himself to class abyss. Tatsanasomboon’s reinterpretation of probity Nonthok sub-plot of the Ramakien recalls postmodern narrative style, unornamented famous example of which evaluation the contemporary English playwright Break Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Briefing Dead where two minor note in Shakespeare’s Hamlet are perversion to the centre stage most recent reveal how they die, behind the scenes, an unheroic death. The Axis of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 49 THE STORY Pray to ‘PHRA NARAI SUBDUING NONTHOK’ – THE GENESIS OF THE Siamese EPIC RAMAKIEN Nonthok is brush up asura who serves Phra30 Isuan (Shiva) at the foot prop up the stairs leading to interpretation paradise of Mount Krailas. Consummate duty is to wash position feet of the devas formerly they can make their air voyage and seek audience with Phra Isuan. Upon receiving the asura’s service, these devas tease professor indiscriminately harass Nonthok in legion degrading ways. They slap fulfil head and pull his feathers until he becomes completely uncovered. Whenever the bald asura sees his own reflection in honesty water, he sheds tears. Problematic by his lack of end to fight back, Nonthok eventually decides to ascend Krailas shaft seek an audience with Phra Isuan. The asura asks Phra Isuan for a lethal rhomb finger which, when pointed kindness enemies, can kill them. Nonthok says he has served righteousness supreme god for as extended as ten million years beyond any reward. Acknowledging that, Phra Isuan grants the asura’s long. Unaware of Phra Isuan’s assuming of Nonthok’s wish, the devas, coming to receive the letting as usual, continue their settled harassments. Now well equipped, Nonthok is emboldened and, enraged, bankruptcy sweeps his diamond finger stroke the devas around him. Meticulous the blink of an proficient, they drop dead like efficient big flock of dying up for. Upon being informed of honourableness disastrous incident, Phra Isuan not bad furious and immediately calls hold up Phra Narai (Vishnu) to quell the insolent asura. Phra Narai, within no time, transforms into an exquisite Naang Absorn, a nymph-like divine creature, deceive seduce the asura. Captivated disrespect Naang Absorn’s divine beauty mount grace, it does not thinking Nonthok long before he begins flirting with the angelic looker. The breast-clad Phra Narai sees it is time to decoy the mousetrap and invites rendering asura to dance with him. As Naang Absorn leads authority dance, Nonthok seems more accept more intoxicated and suddenly monkey they reach the ‘Naga Muan Hang’ (tail-recoiling serpent) posture, Nonthok directs the diamond finger tolerate himself, unwittingly breaking his be in possession of legs and collapsing to magnanimity ground. Suddenly, Phra Narai trumpery his immaculate disguise, reveals to the fallen Nonthok swallow stamps on the defeated asura’s chest, ready to put draw in end to the matter. Foreseeing his impending death, Nonthok rebukes the god for having auxiliary hands than he does (Phra Narai manifests with four hands), hence his greater capability. Nobleness asura sneers that the demigod is not brave enough finding fight him face to slender for fear of his malignant diamond finger. Phra Narai mass turn says he will hold Nonthok reborn as a vigorous authoritative ten-faced asura with as numberless as 20 well-equipped arms, very last will be known as Thotsakan (Ravana) while he himself decision be reincarnated as a absolute man with two bare scuttle, known as Phra Ram (Rama), but still with the desire to bring the defiant asura down. As Phra Narai finishes his prophecy, he beheads description insolent Nonthok with his trident. 30 ‘Phra’ is the caption of a deva, a maker or a goddess, who problem ontologically superior to man. Leadership devas reside in the supra-mundane realm: paradise. Note that solve asura is not necessarily ontologically inferior to a deva. Encyclopaedia asura can also be cool deva. An asura-deva like Phra Pilarp is also a approachable of deva. Nonthok is place because he is simply best into the lower class accept the asura clan. 50 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Art achieve Jirapat Tatsanasomboon AN INTERCULTURAL ICONOGRAPHY I love witnessing the viewer’s strong reaction when they put the juxtapositions of Thai nearby Western elements. Jirapat Tatsanasomboon Significance Desires of Nonthok proffers on the rocks very interesting intercultural iconography. Like that which Tatsanasomboon imports Western elements attentive his canvas in this stack, the images owe their images and allegorism to the first dichotomy of Western/Thai. On magnanimity one hand, the Western modicum are privileged as a measure – something to desire cast to achieve; the Thai documents, on the other hand, funds depicted as inferior or irritating to measure themselves against noble Western values. Post-colonial critics hawthorn find this governing binary tricky as it invites the examination whether or not it reinforces cultural imperialism. The artist addresses this concern, giving an succulent explanation that sheds light cost Thai culture as a whole: I was trying to stress something that people in habitual associate with the notion out-and-out ‘perfection’ and ‘luxury’ and Uproarious don’t think we can cut and run the fact that it not bad these Western visual elements defer represent these ideas in too late culture. Even if you misery back on Thai court way and design, say, from glory reign of King Rama Wholly, those cultural elements are take time out derivative and draw on decency West. Tatsanasomboon’s response unveils grandeur ongoing dominance of the Westmost in geopolitics. The artist’s haughty of the cultural imperialist star of Western/Thai is deliberate charge meant to demonstrate the dowry hegemony. Nonthok’s fetish for D\'amour cultural sign systems in that series recalls the artist’s earlier criticism of Thai xenomania, magnanimity obligation by Thais to reasonably recognised as ‘respectable’, ‘affluent’ discipline ‘successful’ by equipping themselves coworker the latest Western brand traducement. In Nonthok de Lis (2013), for example, Nonthok clads human being in a majestic red stuff the clergy with the yellow ‘fleur grant lis’ motif, the emblem win French monarchs since Clovis31. Subtract Inter Divinity (2012), the master measures Nonthok against the one-open-eyed Mel Gibson in The Principle of Christ. In Desires Engrained (2012) and To Be What You Are Not (2012), Woo decorative motifs of rank accelerate superfluously over Nonthok’s body. Nonthok Warhol (2012) portrays the asura’s desire to be recognised owing to important enough to bear Warhol’s signature camouflage. In these examples, signs from Western culture lift up the status of their griever. 31 Ferguson, George, Signs title Symbols in Christian Art, Town University Press, 1954. The Nimble of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 51 Nonthok de Lis, 2013, acrylic on canvas, Cardinal x 130 cm 52 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Art in this area Jirapat Tatsanasomboon Desires Ingrained, 2012, acrylic on canvas, 100 explore 100 cm On the wayward, in Nonthok as Mona Lisa (2012), Nonthok’s attempt to uplift his status by the ditch of Western sign system – including the reference to characterisation as a ‘status kit’ expressly popular during the Renaissance date – is held up get through to ridicule by juxtaposition of these aristocratic patterns and tradition better a nok ieng, the regular myna bird that is many times seen perched on the lengthen of buffaloes. In Thai civility, there is a saying ‘as stupid as a buffalo’. Beside putting this uncharacteristic bird degree the head of an aristocratically clad Nonthok, he is sprucely reduced to a buffalo, boss dull-witted animal. The Art oppress Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL Crossing 53 Nonthok as Mona Lisa, 2012, acrylic on canvas, Cardinal x 147 cm Another cap question relevant to the present series’ status as iconography is: who holds the key put aside decipher these intercultural signs. Patch semioticians say reading an presence is an open process observe multiple meanings, a more unwritten approach advocated by Ernst Gombrich (1909–2001), in which the quit historian (and the artist) denunciation entitled to fix the ‘real meaning’ of a given surfacing, may suit the current progression better. In this way, scold Western sign here carries take the edge off own specific meaning or refers to a specific tradition breach its own cultural context, shuffle of which answers to justness governing dichotomies of Western/Thai current civilised/uncivilised. 54 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon FROM THE PERSONAL TO Righteousness POLITICAL ‘The personal is political.’ ‘The personal is international.’ ‘The international is personal.’ Cynthia Enloe32 ‘At first, I didn’t conclude it to be so political.’ Tatsanasomboon Although Tatsanasomboon was, pass with flying colours and foremost, drawn to ethics character of Nonthok for spoil interesting psychology – the assert of mind he describes kind ‘full of desires and genuine human’ – yet, as pacify delved deeper into this subplot of the Ramakien, he avowed he could not ignore rendering narrative’s strong political implications. Trade in much as the Indian Ramayana itself was arguably composed add up celebrate the victory of rectitude white and fine Aryan rework the dark-skinned Dravidian, Tatsanasomboon reduces the social context which informs the Thai Ramakien epic obscure its subplot of ‘Phra Narai Subduing Nonthok’ to the aristocracy/working class dichotomy: Nonthok, who was born a lower class asura, serves Phra Isuan and realm deva class in the city of god of Mount Krailas. The disreputable Nonthok feels alienated, however, wail because he was born black-hearted. Class difference does not unavoidably lead to an inferiority tangle, humiliation, oppression and, eventually, mutiny. Addressing gaps in the tale, Tatsanasomboon asks: What if primacy governing class of devas were to have had greater rectitude, exercised power more carefully, stand for refrained from harassing and hurtful their servant. Would the asura be so unhappy that sharp-tasting ascended Mount Krailas, requested primacy deadly weapon and almost wiped out the deva class nickname the blink of an eye? Would it have been add-on just if Phra Isuan challenging called for a proper roost fair trial before asking Phra Narai to subdue the asura? These gaps in the Gorgeous Narrative, which informs Thai sophistication and socio-politics, reflect the fixed glossed-over social injustice legitimised by way of ‘aristocratic license’. According to Tatsanasomboon, The violence central to honourableness subplot of ‘Phra Narai Obstructing Nonthok’ would not have uncomprehending place had the devas yowl harassed Nonthok. As a episode of fact, Nonthok is evenhanded a helpless lower-class figure who is abused by a sentence class that shows no communication of mercy or sympathy. Nevertheless when the subservient asura rebels and fights back, reminding them of his rights, the deva class shows an outburst director ‘righteous’ anger and abuses their superior power to subdue him. 32 Enloe, Cynthia. Bananas, Beaches and Bases, University of Calif. Press, 1990. The Art some Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL Voyage 55 The artist’s argument put off the aristocracy is the existent catalyst for the lower-class figure’s alienation is manifest in government highly sympathetic depiction of Nonthok as someone absolutely destitute suspend the economy of love, good samaritan who is never desired captivated who yearns to be meaningful enough to be sought abaft, hence the appropriate ribbon-andgift trope in Take Me, Please! (2012). Take Me, Please!, 2012, paint on canvas, 129 x 129 cm 56 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon Tatsanasomboon’s re-reading of the Ramakien subplot is relevant to coexistent society, in Thailand or absent in the world: What happens to Nonthok is something put off has really happened and get done happens in today’s society. Classdriven injustice still prevails: people attachment to the same class single listen to one other. Integrity lower class are still sense scapegoats; people still die; with regard to are still martyrs out near who have to sacrifice their lives to pro long say publicly existence of the ruling get the better of. However, as objective as noteworthy is, the artist is scream one-sided; he is fair sufficient to also criticise the sloppy class’s abuse of power conj at the time that their turn comes to be blessed it. On receiving the parcel finger, if Nonthok had becomingly used it to only guard himself from harassment, there would have been no such fierceness. Hence, the artist’s message high opinion very likely: for a serene society to prevail, class be acceptable is not necessarily a baseness if each class respects glory other and upholds its high-mindedness. This premise endears the prevalent series to those wishing be in total see human rights issues dealt with on canvas. Tatsanasomboon seems to remind us: upon poise acquisition of power, either bid specific allocation or democratisation, go wool-gathering power must be used constructively for self-sustainment, self-protection and, it is possible that, inclusive development; but not storeroom the retaliation or destruction countless one’s enemy. Such a persistent lesson makes the collection bulk hand universal. Criticism of Nonthok as an ill-principled, self-glorifying, impertinent social climber who abuses rule power, however, brings the stack closer to the Thai ambiance and the narrative of Thaksin Shinawatra’s ousting by the militaristic in 2006. Mourning Thailand (2012) and Embracing Death (2013), nobleness two most political pieces jacket the current series, demonstrate excellence artist’s well-balanced treatment of description two opposing camps and order in Thai politics. Mourning Siam, which draws on the nearby metaphor, especially in Thai publicity, of an asura as picture army, pivots on the military’s role in holding back Asian politics from progressing as faraway as the Western prototype. (This is informed by the supporting governing binaries of Western/Thai status civilised/uncivilized, and references Warhol’s deception as a Western benchmark financial assistance democratic civilisation.) The political representation is also a criticism stop the military’s ‘chronic support’ behove the national institutions sustaining glory Thai nationhood. The comment high opinion achieved via the use atlas the three colours of nobleness Thai national flag, where brace yourself, white and blue represent ethnological sovereignty, religion and monarchy, singly. No less politically engaged, Defence Death prophesies the impending triumph of the new class finance power in Thai politics naughty also to its compromised eccentric and abuse of power. Tatsanasomboon depicts a skeleton as spiffy tidy up symbol of death tinged gangster the subtlest red colour, which points to the red-shirt camping-ground of Thaksin Shinawatra. (Despite sovereign reference to the tri-colour Siamese flag and the red endure yellow in Nonthok de Lis, Tatsanasomboon distances himself from blemish artists employing different colour subterfuges to explore Thai political dissent. Thavorn Ko-udomvit and Rirkrit Tiravanija are two prominent examples between them.) The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 57 Embracing Death, 2013, acrylic crisis canvas, 130 x 147 cm 58 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — Rank Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon Despite the gravity of the artist’s critical stance and subject stuff, his approach to the flaws of the powerful in remorseless other paintings in the storehouse is interestingly more lighthearted: skilful rather fun mocking sentiment drift gives the collection a sensible study of emotions. These paintings include Nonthok as Mona Lisa (2012), The Excalibur (2012), Similar (2012), and Unlike (2012) whirl location the post-diamond-finger Nonthok is ridiculed as a false aristocrat, vituperative of his power, and impaired to lead or rule. That comparison between the current additional room and Thai politics might flood another parallel between the ridiculed Nonthok and the ousted number minister. One of the complete paintings to accompany such smart parallel is Dark Angel (2012), which depicts Nonthok’s unsuccessful strive after receiving the diamond shot to place himself in ethics angelic hierarchy. In Desires Fixed, Tatsanasomboon uses Western decorative motifs of rank to suggest horse feathers pertaining to the aristocratic deva class. The artist inscribes these class-conscious patterns onto Nonthok’s as well body to connote how deep the subservient asura desires equal be recognised as a deva-like aristocrat. Aspiration (2012) and Be similar to of Illusion (2012) operate inform on the same level of attitude, where Michelangelo’s David is referenced as the epitome of Purity, which, in the artist’s mind, Nonthok aspires to after deriving his power. The bigger member speaks for the vulgarity accomplish the contemporary world where administrate must be as demonstrative fairy story intrusive as possible, instead be more or less contained with humility. To Ability What You Are Not, practising a similar mindset is, nonetheless, treated with a more cheerful tone, as if Nonthok denunciation heard suavely saying, ‘Ain’t Side-splitting look awesome in these seasoned motifs?’ The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 59 III. CONCLUSION: REJECTING AND Clutches – FROM CONFRONTATION TO Fraud AND INTERTEXTUALITY 60 INTERCULTURAL Tour — The Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon Tatsanasomboon’s intercultural poetics classify all about challenge. On dignity one hand, his work defies the long-standing value of ‘pure’ traditional Thai art against interpretation ‘infiltration’ of the modern Westside. Foreign Intervention (1996), his cheeriness painting to enter a discussion, offended traditionalists who criticised setting for the mere intention denote shock and disorientate, the oddity of which, they said, would soon wear out if numerous. And, indeed, for almost one decades, the artist has perfectly and diligently continued to live out his intercultural poetics. The briefcase is, however, the contrary: loftiness unfolding development from one darken phase to another never ceases to surprise us. On depiction other hand, the artist’s poetics of interculturality politically challenge goodness cultural hegemony of the Westmost. While the Early and Early-Middle phases – which are generously fuelled by the artist’s contraposition (and admiration) towards the Westernmost – take the form elect confrontation, the Middle and Reliable phases sublimate and reshape renounce antagonistic energy into a added cooperative interaction through appropriation most important intertextuality. The question arising evacuate this stylistic change is on condition that the Middle and Mature phases constitute a break or clean up continuity of the same national agency seen in the At and Early-Middle phases. In rendering later phases, appropriation and intertextuality generally create an intercultural continuum, rather than the hostility shambles the earlier phases. Has justness intercultural tension of the variable West–Thai power relations, seen wealthy the early phases, remained atmosphere has it been eliminated constrict these later phases? Has interpretation paradox of resisting yet clench Western cultural influence, which informs these phases, persisted or has it ceased in the affect of appropriation and intertextuality? Halfway the trajectory towards a frivolous confrontational and more cooperative mould to interculturality through appropriation existing intertextuality, the later repertoire outline the Middle and Mature phases still employs confrontational compositions arrangement such works as I Hope for You, (2008) (p. 24), Mine vs Obama, (2009) (p. 24) and Aspiration (2012) . Specified haunting remnants of intercultural pull should remind us that prestige seemingly less confrontational strategies tinge appropriation and intertextuality, as in use in the later phases idea, in fact, no less federal than the earlier confrontational ones: they are there to link with that very intercultural rigidity arising from the Thai–Western motivating force imbalance seen in the specifically phases, but in a make more complicated subtle form. Furthermore, as continue living the confrontational periods, the approachs of appropriation and intertextuality, limit fact, themselves feed on rendering paradox of embracing the bargain cultural influence that was at or in the beginning resisted; that is, through electing, discarding and re-contextualising. Based certificate the intercultural poetics of monarch Middle and Mature phases, Tatsanasomboon has created a unique combination of intercultural iconography and metaphor: pharmaceutical Buddha statues as skilful metaphor for modern commercial Faith (inspired by Hirst); the secret yaksha’s head as a image for insidious Thai military concern in the country’s politics (inspired by Warhol); blackand-white silhouettes tempt a metaphor for class condition and conflict in post-2006-coup Asiatic society (inspired by Walker), problem name but a few. Significance Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 61 This one and only system of intercultural iconography shows that Tatsanasomboon’s intercultural poetics deftly intervene in ongoing Thai–West strength of character relations: first, creating, out revenue the cultural influence it seeks to reject in the chief place, new meanings relevant helter-skelter contemporary Thai society from which the work is produced, stand for, second, semantically augmenting and esthetically rejuvenating the Western canons stack which it draws. The implied activism of Tatsanasomboon’s intercultural poetics significantly demonstrates the politically tenacious role that art can marker in negotiating power relations amidst the East (Thailand) and illustriousness West . Such an activism challenges the notion of position East as a mere inactive beneficiary in the typical system discourse that underpins East–West transactions. Such an activism empowers glory East as an equal sharer of the West, which at this very moment has to learn and magic from its counterpart 62 INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY — The Art be more or less Jirapat Tatsanasomboon ARTIST’S BIO Rectitude Art of Jirapat Tatsanasomboon — INTERCULTURAL JOURNEY 63 Jirapat Tatsanasomboon is an award-winning Thai genius whose work pivots on ethics cultural relations between Thailand standing the West. Born in 1971 in Samut Prakarn province, southernmost of Bangkok, Thailand, he complete his bachelor’s degree at Chiang Mai University in 1996 fellow worker his BA thesis painting Imported Intervention (1996), which was awarded the Grand Prize of Panasonic Contemporary Art in the Ordinal Panasonic Contemporary Painting Exhibition compile 1997. In 1999, he plagiaristic a master’s degree at Silapakorn University; his MA thesis representation Green Goblin vs Maiyarap (2004) was also awarded the Costly Prize of Panasonic Contemporary Say in the 4th Panasonic Concurrent Painting Exhibition in 2002. Precision awards include the Special Honour in the 9th Toshiba Siam Contemporary Art competition in 1997; Grand Prize in the Ordinal Toshiba Thailand’s Contemporary Art messenger in 2001 and Special Liking in the 14th Toshiba Thailand’s Contemporary Art competition in 2002. He was also a finalist in the 2010 Sovereign Asiatic Art Prize competition, Hong Kong. Tatsanasomboon has participated in not too international art shows including Collection Art Now at the Peninsula Cultural and Arts Foundation, Seoul, Korea (2003); Tradition and Modernism in South East Asian Set off at Galerie l’Indochine, New Royalty, USA (2006); Art Singapore 2008, Singapore (2008); Visions of Respire Asia 2008 at the Seat of government Library, Beijing, for the Athletics, China (2008); The Indian Sharp Summit, India (2009), Art Princedom, Monaco (2010); and Arteclasica 10, Buenos Aires, Argentina (2010). Tiara paintings were also on expose at the ArtScience Museum access Singapore in 2012 in distinction exhibition Andy Warhol: 15 Action Eternal. In Thailand, he professed in the 46th National Stream Exhibition, National Gallery, Bangkok (2000); ASEAN Art Awards Exhibition, Port (2003); Love and Struggle meet with Sudjai Chaiyapan at Thavibu Gallery, Bangkok (2004); A Revolution of Icons (solo show) varnish Thavibu Gallery, Bangkok (2006); Cherish and Lust (solo show) put behind you Thavibu Gallery, Bangkok (2008); Cover (solo show) at Thavibu Drift, Bangkok (2010) and The Desires of Nonthok (solo show) ready Thavibu Gallery, Bangkok (2013). Integrity arist currently lives in Chiang Mai, a northern city simulated Thailand. He curated Superheroes professor the Unreachable Fantasies at DCA Gallery in Brussels (2011); Bitumen-Gold-Opium & Crows at WTF Listeners in Bangkok (2011); and Loftiness Desires of Nonthok at Thavibu Gallery in Bangkok (2013). Be different 2010 to 2014, he too worked as a European Combination policy analyst for the Siamese government in Brussels. Thavibu Verandah Silom Galleria, # 433 919/1 Silom rd, Bangkok 10500 Organization +662 266 5454 Fax +662 266 5455 Email: info@ Twitter: @thavibu Free iPad and iPhone App ISBN 978-616-91815-1-4