| On September 14, a new exhibition of work by | | | | best I have seen in a while.The title of the |
| Amorn Pinpimai was opened at artThailand's Livin' | | | | collection is "In the Dream". It's a theme that he |
| Gallery in Bangkok. Twenty new paintings, mostly | | | | has been exploring for a long time. On the one |
| oil on canvas, are featured. The exhibition will be | | | | hand he tries to answer the question of what |
| open for viewing until October 14. Vivid and bold in | | | | dreams say to us? On the other hand he believes |
| the use of color, shape and form this new work | | | | that the interpretation of a dreams is less |
| of Amorn is, in our opinion, his best to date. Early | | | | important than the sensation of the dreams |
| indications suggest that the media, art buyers and | | | | themselves and the emotional response they |
| the Thai art community agree.Why not take a | | | | induce in us. As Amorn says himself: "What if we |
| look at the full collection at blog.artthailand.net | | | | just listen the sounds that echo silently after the |
| gallery/index.php?level=collection&id=3You will also | | | | moment of a dream? What if we use our dreams |
| find some fun pictures from the exhibition opening | | | | as an invitation to enter a mysterious universe |
| at the same address. I did edit out the more | | | | where answers and explanations are less |
| outrageous ones but I will be adding the | | | | important than the sensations themselves."Amorn |
| after-party pictures soon and those I know are | | | | does not look for answers or solutions. He |
| outrageous! Born in 1968 in the north of Thailand, | | | | compares his working process to a state of |
| Amorn Pinpimai is now based in Bangkok working | | | | meditation in which his imagination and creation are |
| as a lecturer in the Department of Arts at Valaya | | | | aroused by quietly listening to the breath from his |
| Alongkorn Rajabhat University (and no, I can't | | | | lungs and the beat of his heart.Ok, but does this |
| pronounce the name of the university | | | | mean anything or is it nothing more or less than |
| either!).Jovial, shy, yet at the same time larger | | | | pseudo-babble? Well actually yes, it does mean |
| than life, Amorn comes across as one of life's | | | | something and something that is quite important. |
| nice people. He lacks ego, he is charmingly polite, | | | | What Amorn is trying to say is that it doesn't |
| you sense he is more comfortable in the calm | | | | matter what was in his mind when he created a |
| and peace of Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai than the | | | | work because each of us will interpret a piece of |
| hustle of Bangkok, and yet he paints with passion, | | | | art according to our own interests, prejudices, |
| vigor and verve.He paints not just what he sees | | | | desires, emotional state and so on. In this noisy |
| but what his imagination and emotion allow. I can | | | | society where art often suffers from too much |
| tell three rather amusing stories that kind of sum | | | | meaning and analysis, we often forget that art, |
| up Amorn's attitude to life. First, I mentioned that | | | | above all, creates space for reflection, |
| he is really quite a shy man. Well, though I | | | | contemplation and silence, almost as if we are |
| searched hard, out of 171 photographs taken at | | | | observing a dream.Some of you may know that I |
| the exhibition opening yesterday, I failed to find a | | | | am very passionate about the work of Antoni |
| single one of him. Quite how he managed to keep | | | | Gaudi. I can't really explain why except to say |
| himself away from the camera I don't know. I | | | | that his work heightens my senses, allows me to |
| am notoriously camera shy myself and yet found | | | | forget everything else around me and that it |
| myself in over 20 pictures.Second, if you look at | | | | "speaks" to me. Does it matter that I can't |
| the picture here on the right you can just about | | | | explain?I say no and Amorn agrees. His point, |
| tell that it is painted on two canvases. I was | | | | again, is that the interpretation of a dream is less |
| intrigued so I asked him why. He said something | | | | important than the sensation of that dream.There |
| like: "Oh Khun Adam, I woke up one morning and | | | | is one technique he uses that explains the point |
| I had the idea for this painting. I knew I had to | | | | very well. You will notice that he uses a number |
| start it then or I would lose the thought. I | | | | of very common figures and symbols, including |
| searched all over my studio but I couldn't find a | | | | the moon, snakes and birds. So I asked what do |
| canvas the right size. So I decided to use two | | | | these symbols mean? His reply was interesting |
| canvases." I love it! It is so classically and | | | | because he said, "I can't tell you." Well that didn't |
| wonderfully Thai.Interestingly, however, this | | | | help me much so I pressed the point. "Ok, Khun |
| picture seems to be the most generally admired | | | | Adam, here is why I can't tell you. You are English. |
| of the whole collection even though it is not the | | | | You are Christian. For you the snake probably has |
| artist's personal favorite.Third, you may notice | | | | association with the Garden of Eden, with original |
| that almost all of Amorn's work features the | | | | sin, with betrayal, deceit and mistrust. I am Thai. I |
| female form. Convinced that there must be some | | | | am Buddhist. The snake has a very different |
| dark, symbolic reason for this I once again asked | | | | meaning for me. The same is true of all the |
| him, why? The reply was fast, to the point and | | | | symbols. Our response to them depends on so |
| unemotional. "I prefer women to men." Ok, well | | | | many things....socio-economic circumstances, |
| that's clear. Guess I need to start looking for my | | | | experience, attitude, culture. I could go on |
| symbolism somewhere else!So let's talk a little | | | | forever."So, unlikely though it may seem, here we |
| about his work and what he is trying to say to | | | | have an artist brave enough to admit that what |
| us. Most of Amorn's earlier work has been using | | | | his work says depends on what you think it says, |
| acrylic on canvas. This is his first major collection | | | | which further implies that whether you like it is up |
| of oil paintings. Having started his career using | | | | to you and not up to the art establishment to |
| blends of white, black and gray, he has gradually | | | | determine.I like it! It's a refreshing attitude. Too |
| evolved to a much wider range of color, and I | | | | often I feel that we are told what we should like |
| feel that oil has allowed him the freedom to be | | | | and treated like imbeciles if "we don't get it". I like |
| much bolder in his use of color. For me color is on | | | | the attitude but I also like the work. It's rich in |
| of the most important parts of any painting. I | | | | color. It makes me feel warm and comfortable. |
| love color blends and Amorn's are some of the | | | | It's a little mysterious. It's soothing and calm. |