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Lot Essay
Thawan Duchanee was born in the northern province of Chiang Rai in 1939. He studied under the late Italian sculptor Corrado Feroci, also known as Silpa Bhirasri, who first introduced modern art practice into Thailand. In 1964 - 1968, Thawan was awarded a post graduate scholarship and continued his education at the Rijks Akademie van Beeldende Kunsten (Royal Academy of Fine Arts) in Amsterdam, thereby gaining a deeper understanding of Western artistic traditions.
Following his return to Thailand, Thawan created a unique visual language which fused traditional Thai aesthetics and Buddhist motifs, with a sense of Western modernism. There is an irrefutable and indomitable strength in his paintings, marked in his compositions by the sense of swirling, almost ferocious energy and explosive painterly expression. His works are a complex juxtaposition and blend of humans and animal creatures, creating within his own visual language powerful figures of half human-animal creatures.
The three Lots being presented here are all different but superlative examples of the artist and span the breadth of his work. Water (Lot 464) is an excellent painting done in the 1980s, highly detailed and executed on paper; combining all the different elements of Thawan's unique expressiveness of his masterful blend of traditional Thai art and the modern Western styles he was influenced by. The intricateness of detail and size of the work meant that Thawan had to paint this with some measure of difficulty; by lying down on the side and slowly painting. This only serves to highlight the willpower and sense of commitment he had to his craft, which was a hallmark of him and played an important and essential role in the development and achievements of Thawan. This painting was a gift to the present owner, and one of her most cherished memories is a photo of the artist lying down creating this work while her young infant son lay down beside him in accompaniment.
Falcon God (Lot 465), is one of his trademark oil paintings on canvas, depicting the fierce and proud gaze of the majestic falcon, which was one of Thawan's favourite subjects. There is a sense of the power and strength in the bird in flight, soaring above the sun and moon. The white bold and expressive brushstrokes convey a sense of movement, grace and speed; with the vibrant red and gold colours signifying a solidity and sense of invincibility. Thawan typically paints either the sun or the moon in his works and this painting is unique with both being created here.
Another example of the breadth of his artwork is also Girl Asleep in the Forest (Lot 466). In this present work, Thawan draws inspiration from Buddhist fables and Thai folklore to depict a beautiful young girl fast asleep, while creatures of the forest cluster around her as though attempting to speak to her. The classical Thai beauty of the girl contrasts with the scaly fish and watchful owl, while a skilfully carved grasshopper perches behind. This is a departure from his usual subjects and his refined handling of the woodcut reveals a different, complimentary aspect to our knowledge of his artistry.
Following his return to Thailand, Thawan created a unique visual language which fused traditional Thai aesthetics and Buddhist motifs, with a sense of Western modernism. There is an irrefutable and indomitable strength in his paintings, marked in his compositions by the sense of swirling, almost ferocious energy and explosive painterly expression. His works are a complex juxtaposition and blend of humans and animal creatures, creating within his own visual language powerful figures of half human-animal creatures.
The three Lots being presented here are all different but superlative examples of the artist and span the breadth of his work. Water (Lot 464) is an excellent painting done in the 1980s, highly detailed and executed on paper; combining all the different elements of Thawan's unique expressiveness of his masterful blend of traditional Thai art and the modern Western styles he was influenced by. The intricateness of detail and size of the work meant that Thawan had to paint this with some measure of difficulty; by lying down on the side and slowly painting. This only serves to highlight the willpower and sense of commitment he had to his craft, which was a hallmark of him and played an important and essential role in the development and achievements of Thawan. This painting was a gift to the present owner, and one of her most cherished memories is a photo of the artist lying down creating this work while her young infant son lay down beside him in accompaniment.
Falcon God (Lot 465), is one of his trademark oil paintings on canvas, depicting the fierce and proud gaze of the majestic falcon, which was one of Thawan's favourite subjects. There is a sense of the power and strength in the bird in flight, soaring above the sun and moon. The white bold and expressive brushstrokes convey a sense of movement, grace and speed; with the vibrant red and gold colours signifying a solidity and sense of invincibility. Thawan typically paints either the sun or the moon in his works and this painting is unique with both being created here.
Another example of the breadth of his artwork is also Girl Asleep in the Forest (Lot 466). In this present work, Thawan draws inspiration from Buddhist fables and Thai folklore to depict a beautiful young girl fast asleep, while creatures of the forest cluster around her as though attempting to speak to her. The classical Thai beauty of the girl contrasts with the scaly fish and watchful owl, while a skilfully carved grasshopper perches behind. This is a departure from his usual subjects and his refined handling of the woodcut reveals a different, complimentary aspect to our knowledge of his artistry.