Chatuphon Siretar graduated Bangkok Thonburi University with a degree in Fine Arts and has been creating pieces since 2013. He is heavily inspired by nature and its effortless development along with the technological advances that revolutionize human life. This concept is replicated through his techniques – which is the use of traditional raw materials such as lacquer to be poured on canvas; producing intricate, modern visuals of the world we see today.
Background

The journey of the artist started when he first saw his mother sculpting a sculpture of the Buddha image, covering it in gold which became a family business. Siretar himself had many chances of assisting his mother with her job, so he was always involved in sculpting. He was also aware of Thai art as that was the main style of art he would see every single day, this later on influenced him as a fine art painter.

During his senior year, Siretar chose to narrow his path down to science and math, considering science as his main direction. However after further consideration, he decided against it and rewinded his thoughts back to what he truly enjoyed since childhood: art. “If you asked me how my home background would later help me in my studies of art, I would say it helped me figure out what style I prefer,” Siretar states. “I figured my liking towards fine art when I actually got to explore the different fields in detail. I like the techniques in fine art and like how they vary, depending on the comfort of the artist,” He continues to elaborate. The detail and intricacies of this art form intrigued and challenged him to perfect his own work, this set him on a mission find a consistent concept and modify his paintings based on each assignment he was given to produce. “I took time to study from my fine arts teacher, who really taught me how to perfect the complex twists and turns of Thai pattern,” He recalls.

Concept

“As for international paintings, I thoroughly enjoy it – I like it both in terms of the technique and the process. However, I am Thai and feel more attracted to Thainess. This culture is in my blood, therefore I will continue to make Thai art,” The artist confirms. During his studies, he was able to create his own art. Even with the freedom of expression that he was given, he still took this opportunity to create and produce Thai art. “I don’t want it to be too much though,” He proposes. “I don’t intend for it to look ancient or traditional, so I added my own elements to it to give it a modern flare – this way Thai artists have a way of almost renovating Thai culture within this department,”.

The artist took an inspiring trip to Chiang Mai during his first years in college. Having experienced the natural atmosphere of the forest, he was inspired by the sunshine that peered through the leaves. So, he sketched a picture of it and brought it back to produce more art. “I felt like it, so I developed that image into something more intricate with my technique,” He explains. The concept he created was the blend of the natural environment along with the hustle and bustle of the city – representing the beauty of 2 contrasting things: nature and civilization. The aim is to make people realize that when something grows, another must leave to make room for that growth, in this case, the deteriorating element is nature. Raising awareness on this topic became a strong passion for the artist. “As gold represents high monetary value in society, I want to paste it on the forest that I drew – this way I can apply the same value to nature. It matters the same to me,” He concludes this stunning artwork beautifully.

Technique

The artist later discovered the technique of gilding and was impressed by its sophistication. Every step in creating the pattern matters. After the gilding process, the watering process then follows, which is the most exciting step for Siretar – he is able to watch the results unfold and anticipate whether the final visuals will match what he has in mind. “Even if I was satisfied with the work, I would still have to wait for everything to sink in. With the patience and attention it requires, I instantly fell in love with this ancient artisan technique,” explains the artist. He has now modified the technique and made it completely his own.

Awards

• Honorable mention for the drawing contest under the topic “Our Royal Rain, Our King” by the Royal Rainmaking Department of Agricultural Aviation
• Honorable mention for The 10th White Elephant Art on the topic “In a Dream” By Thai Beverage Public Company Limited
• 3rd place for international level art contest by Prince Mahidol Award Foundation

Exhibitions

• 2011 3rd ‘For Dad’ Art Exhibition at Channel 5 Television Center
• 2012 Thai Travel Exhibition ‘ARCHES BY HHK’ Exhibition at Amarin Plaza
• 2014 Quality Comes First Exhibition ‘ARCHES BY HHK’ at Fortune Town
• 2015 Participated in the 10th National Children and Youth Art Exhibition
• 2016 Asiaplus Fine Arts 6th Exhibition
• 2016 Participated in the 38th Bualuang Art Exhibition by the Bualuang Foundation
• 2017 Invited to participate in 8th Youth Camp Creative Contemporary Art Project at the Ministry of Culture
• 2017 Participated in the 39th Bualuang Art Exhibition by the Bualuang Foundation
• 2018 Invited to participate in the 2nd Buddhist Art Exhibition
• 2018 Participated in the 13th National Children’s and Youth Art Exhibition
• 2018 Participated in the 40th Bualuang Art Exhibition by the Bualuang Foundation
• 2019 Participated in the exhibition of the 9th Asia Plus Art Contest on the topic of “The Glowing Rainbow”
• 2019 Participated in the 14th National Children and Youth Art Exhibition
• 2019 Participated in the ‘Inheriting His Majesty’s Wishes’ 2nd Art Exhibition at the Vocational Park Chaipattana Foundation, Nakhon Pathom Province
• 2019 Participated in the 15th National Children and Youth Art Exhibition
• 2019 Participated in the 42nd Bualuang Art Exhibition by the Bualuang Foundation
• 2020 Participated in the Exhibition ‘fighting the dangers of COVID’ at the Rajadamnern Art Gallery. by the Ministry of Culture
• 2022 Participated in the 43nd Bualuang Art Exhibition by the Bualuang Foundation
• 2022 Participated in the exhibition of the 10th Asia Plus Art Contest on the topic ‘Innovative art’