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Nukoon Panyadee is a fine example of a Thai artist whom I have followed starting from the Art Exchange Exhibition Thai – Polish at CMU Art Center, Chiang Mai University in 2015. That exhibition was a collaboration between Thai and Polish artists. Most of his works I saw at that time were colorful large abstract paintings in large frames.
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Many years later, I occasionally met Nukoon at workshops and art exhibitions in Thailand. He was also the guest lecturer for several institute, especially in Krabi Province in the South of Thailand, where he was invited to be a guest artist at Andaman Art Museum on many occasions. I’ve also known that he is residing abroad as usual. During the interview, Nukoon said in the last few years he returned to Thailand because his wife who worked for a consulate in Poland came back to Thailand temporarily. He used his available time to collaborate with other Thai artists. He said he was quite busy in the process of packing his stuff for transport and moving to Sydney, Australia with his wife.
Besides painting, Nukoon is interested in photography and is also a self-assured photographer. After taking panoramic photos with interesting scenery, he enjoyed applying some paints on them. Regarding his education, Nukoon received an advanced diploma from the faculty of International Fine Arts, Poh Chang Academy of Art and a Bachelor’s Degree from Srinakharinwirot University in Bangkok.
Here is the interview
JY: Could you tell me about your life as freelance artist?
NP: I was searching for my own work style and the way of living as an artist many years ago. This wasn’t so simple due to various obstacles and circumstances. As one of the 'fame' chasers, I would try my best to make myself more famous. I dedicated my life to creating more works. Once my house was occupied by all my creations, it was finally time to find some places to show these works to people who were fond of art and could appreciate it. Back then it was not an easy matter to look for a suitable place for exhibition because of the limit of good locations whereas at the present the number of places for exhibition increases noticeably. With open arms, most of these establishments support and encourage artists to commercially use their areas to sell artworks more than ever.
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At that time, I waited for the responses from several places I contacted to exhibit my works. This could take months to know whether the places were available for use or not since the queues were really long. One of the more well-known places for art exhibition in Thailand is Chamchuri Art Gallery, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. Due to the popularity, it is quite normal that the reservation queue for the exhibition at Chamchuri Art Gallery is for the upcoming year if you reserve the exhibition queue today. This is because this place has interesting regulations for artists, quite low in cost and no hidden business policy.
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I could tell you more that the artist who chose to only create artworks without other income to support oneself or the family will face the harder difficulty for living. As far as I know, many artists who graduated and used their acquired artistic knowledge and skills to become freelance artists were unsuccessful. They eventually had to adapt themselves and change their beloved careers to be company’s employees, creatives for advertising agencies, art teachers as well as the traders who sell commercial art.
After deciding to be a freelance artist, I didn’t mean to stay at home and create some artworks for sale. I applied to be a guest lecturer for public and private art institutes for a term or taught art for interested people on a hourly basis. Once I had sufficient money from a teaching job, I went to buy more painting equipment for work. After some of my works were sold, I began to see how my dream could become reality and I was certain that my chosen way of living as a freelance artist was possible. However, diligence and constant skill development were required in order to gain popularity. As more people knew more about my works, I believed good opportunities would come later. Quality of the artworks has to be maintained in a standard and acceptable level at all costs.
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Walking on the path of a freelance artist requires a considerable amount of time as well as one has to accept the ways of society and the circles of art. Some artists have to look after their families and find work to earn some money. This is quite the sensitive topic for many families because sometimes it could cause misunderstanding and quarrel in the family. Such problems have great impact on the mental health of artists and affect their working performance. Most successful freelance artists who could live happily have to talk and negotiate with everyone in their families first for their approval, heartfelt support and encouragement. All of their artistic creations will have better quality.
JY: What do you think about art in Thailand?
NP: Art in Thailand still has quite limited movement only in some art institutes and art galleries. There is also a patronage system for artists. They still have to rely on educational institutes that will accept arts. Sometimes reasons for other factors will come much later. These problems can be seen from the old photographs. At present they are still changing in a good way because the areas of support for exhibiting works for artists are broader. These days, venues to support the exhibition for artists are quite plentiful. This could help eliminate obstacles and limits for artists. Ideally, quality of artwork should be considered regardless of art institutes or organizations. This is always good for Thai art as a whole.
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Art began to spread out to more provinces in the countryside. This may be due to the ideas and reasons of artists who want to bring the successful artworks that they created and presented them to their hometown. This is a continuation from the samples made by previous generations of artists who contributed their work to their locality. It is probably another reason that it was anonymously agreed to be a new concept of artists in this time. The wonderful and new idea that good artworks should be scattered in several cities of Thailand should be definitely from a new concept of the newer generation of artists.
JY: What about your life as a Thai artist in Sydney.
NP: I have been living in Sydney for just one month. Still adapting to a new and wider atmosphere in the society of developed countries
More time is needed and more importantly it is the life of a creative artist to think about some form of creative works in order to make new creations for a contemporary style of the artist. Problems from other factors and obstacles also need to be solved. Impression or inspiration in creating works of art is the main topic for the artist. They must collect more information from the environment and artists in the society. It also needs time for absorption to be used as material for visual arts or path that we are working on in order to continue constant learning development.
Solo Exhibitions
2016
: “My Journey” at Sathorn 11 Art Space
2012
: “Line Sign Sound” at Jamjuree Art Gallery Chulalongkorn University
2009
: “Introspective” at Jamjuree Art Gallery Chulalongkorn University
: “Introspective” at Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus
2007
: “Bangkok–Andaman” at Jungceylon Phuket and L’Ermitage Gallerie Bangkok
: “Rain and Shine” at CP Seven Art Gallery, Bangkok
2006
: “Rain” at Sheraton Grande, Sukhumvit Bangkok
2005
: “Nukoon 2005” at Jamjuree Art Gallery Chulalongkorn University
2001
: “Art Patio” at Isetan, World Trade Center Bangkok
1991
: “My Perception” at River City Shopping Complex Bangkok
1990
: “Look at Nature” at Art-Image Gallery Bangkok
1986
: “3 Contents” at Goethe Institute Bangkok
Notable Group Exhibitions
2016
: Earth, Fire, Air & Water, Center for the Promotion of Culture (Centrum Promocji Kultury), Warsaw, Poland
: International Art Exhibition “Echo from Nature”, the Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts, Hanoi, Vietnam
: 15th International Calligraphy and Painting Exchange Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
2015
: The Silk Road International Arts Festival, Shaanxi Province Art Museum, Shaanxi, China
: “Silk Journey to Art” World Tour Exhibition 2015, The China Millennium Monument, Beijing, China
: Thai –Polish Art Exchange Exhibition, CMU Art Center, Chiang Mai, Thailand
: The Art Exhibition “Kamol Tassananchalee & Friends” 71 Years Anniversary,
Ratchadamnoen Contemporary Art Center (RCAC), Bangkok, Thailand
2014
: Thai-Polish Artists Art Exchange Exhibition, Gallery DAP2, Warsaw, Poland
: Krabi International Art Workshop for Andaman Museum, Krabi Municipality Office, Krabi, Thailand
: Thai Group Show, LA Artcore Gallery at the Union Center for the Arts, Los Angeles, California, USA
2013
: Thai-Viet Art Exchange Exhibition, Naresuan University Art Gallery, Phitsanulok, Thailand and Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, Hanoi, Vietnam
: The 5th Art Exhibition of the International Visual Artist Association of Thailand, The Queen’s Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
2012
: “Passion in Watercolor” Exhibition at Central World, Bangkok
2009
: 21st “Asia Watercolor Painting Exhibition 2009, Tianjan, China
2008
: “Images of Siam” A Painting Exhibition by Thai Artists of Art Bridge Group at Royal Thai Embassy in London and New Gallery Royal West of England, UK
2007
: “Views of Rome-Paris 2006” Art Exhibition with 11 Thai Artists at
River City Department Store, Bangkok
2004
: “17th Exhibition of the Asian Watercolor Confederation” in Juju, Korea
: “A Water Color and Classical Melody Delight” in Brooklyn, NY and Washington D.C., USA
2000
: Asian International Watercolor Exhibition at Shi Shang Shanghai, China
1998
: The 12th Asian International Watercolor Exhibition, Osaka, Japan
: The 13th Asian International Watercolor Exhibition at Chudis Hatyai Plaza, Songkhla
1996
: The 11th Asian International Watercolor Exhibition at May Bank Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1994
: Watercolor Exhibition at Montien Hotel, Surawongse Road, Bangkok
1981
: 29th National Art Exhibition at Silpakorn University Bangkok
: Watercolor Painting Exhibition at Goethe Institute Bangkok
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