In the year beginning from 1967, Thailand had been embroiled in political conflicts. The military dictatorial regime, in the name of protesting the monarchy, had incited political conflicts in 1973 and 1976. Thailand entered the period of utter political hopelessness and desperation.
In the same period, abstract art was widely practiced and exhibited in the National Exhibition of Art Competition. It dominated the art space and clearly overshadowed other modes of artistic genres.
Jungle (1965) by Nipon PritakomolArt Centre Silpakorn University
In the 16th National Exhibition of Art held in 1965, Nipon Plitakomol’s became a phenomenal success. The work laid naked the body and form of the picture’s elements.
In his work, only brushes and colours were channels of artistic expression. This work was regarded as a beginning of abstract art in the National Exhibition of Art.
Abstract art in Thailand began to expand and branch out into many forms, for example, hard-edge painting, abstract expressionism painting, collage, mass of body and form of abstract art sculpture.
One form which was hugely popular in the period was prints, with its particular emphasis on expressing abstractness.
This popularity of abstract arts had lasted approximately 2 decades in the National Exhibition of Art. The exhibition collected plenty of collections of abstract art, particularly, prints artworks with a focus on perfect composition, the interesting and varied use of texture, line, colour to arrange relationships between elements within blank papers.
Artworks featured in this story are parts of Silpakorn Art Collections. They are award-winning works from the National Exhibition of Art and Exhibition of Contemporary Art by Young Artists, under the care and management of the Art Centre Silpakorn University.
