“Strength in unity” wins top honours at the 2015 UOB Painting of the Year competition
United Overseas Bank Thailand (UOB Thai) today presented 23 year-old University student, Ms Thidarat Chantachua, the 2015 UOB Painting of the Year Award. This is the top award in the Established Artist category of the competition in Thailand.
Ms Thidarat’s winning piece, titled Jamaah 2, draws on the theme of strength in unity. She used a special embroidery technique to draw out texture and depth in the painting.
Ms Thidarat said that her artwork is based on the theme of people, with all their differences in background, lives and opinion, coming together to find peace in spirituality. “Seeing the world struggle to find peace has motivated me to create this painting. I am touched when I see a community united in prayer. The setting is an ordinary, empty room, signifying that one can pray anywhere, not just in a place of worship. Through my painting, I want to demonstrate that there is strength in unity,” Ms Thidarat said.
Ms Thidarat won US$25,000 (750,000 baht) in the competition. She will go on to compete with three other UOB Painting of the Year competition winners from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore for the regional prize – the UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year Award. She also stands a chance to win a one-month residency programme at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum in Japan.
In the Emerging Artist category, Ms Napat Kangwannarakul, 25, won the Most Promising Artist of the Year Award for her piece titled Body and Mind; A Change of Mind. The artwork uses paper cutting and oil painting to represent how virtues and vices are sometimes intertwined.
Mr Peter Foo, President and Chief Executive Officer of UOB (Thai), said that the UOB Painting of the Year competition is the Bank’s way of supporting talented and passionate Thai artists.
“We have been organising the UOB Painting of the Year competition in Thailand for six consecutive years and are pleased to see that the competition continues to draw out emerging talents and encourage established artists to push their creative boundaries,” Mr Foo said.
The winning entries were selected by a panel of judges comprising Professor Preecha Thaothong, national artist and Head of Thai Art Department, Silpakorn University; Mr Amrit Chusuwan, Dean of the Faculty of Painting Sculpture and Graphic Arts, Silpakorn University; and Professor Vichoke Mukdamanee, national artist and a lecturer at the Faculty of Painting Sculpture and Graphic Arts, Silpakorn University.
The 2015 winners’ showcase
All the winning paintings of the 2015 UOB Painting of the Year competition will be exhibited at the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre from 13 October to 31 October 2015. As part of the 2015 UOB Painting of the Year exhibition, Ms Thidarat and Ms Napat will also have their paintings displayed at the UOB Art Gallery in Singapore.
Winners of the 2015 UOB Painting of the Year competition (Thailand)
|
Award
|
Winner
|
Age |
Artwork Title
|
Prize Money
|
|
Established Artist category
|
||||
| UOB Painting of the Year Award |
Miss Thidarat Chantachua
|
23
|
“Jamaah2”
|
750,000 THB
|
| Gold Award |
Mr Jakgrid Mooninta
|
40
|
“Peaceful Lanna”
|
300,000 THB
|
| Silver Award |
Mr Paisarn Pirussaw
|
52
|
“Worshipping the Sarira”
|
240,000 THB
|
| Bronze Award |
Mr Pairin Pupradup
|
26
|
“Wind-up Toys”
|
150,000 THB
|
|
Emerging Artist category
|
||||
| Most Promising Artist of the Year Award |
Miss Napat Kangwannarakul
|
25
|
“Body and Mind, Change of Mind”
|
90,000 THB
|
| Gold Award |
Mr Ananyot Jannual
|
21
|
“Poor Duck”
|
75,000 THB
|
| Silver Award |
Mr Piyangkul Jantarakul
|
22
|
“Corner Where that Old Guy Sells Kanohm Jeen Feb’15”
|
45,000 THB
|
| Bronze Award |
Mr Jakkapong Thepkoa
|
22
|
“Relativity of Life 1”
|
30,000 THB
|
13 October 2015
For More information, please contact
Strategic Communications and Customer Advocacy,
United Overseas Bank (Thai) Pcl.
Busabong Phadetpai Tel. 0-2343 4972
Parista Yuthamanop Tel. 0-2343-4965