Artist of the day: Artist of the Day, June 29, 2024: Tawee Nandakwang, a Thai painter (#2063)

Tawee Nandakwang (1925-1991) was a Thai painter. Born in Lampoon Province graduated from Silpakorn University, Bangkok/Academy of Fine Arts of Rome, Italy

Tawee Nandakwang is recognized and regarded as one of the nation's leading artists in Thai contemporary art. The recognition for his repute exists both at home and abroad. His life and works have been recorded in Thailand's history of modern art. A pioneer in approaches to painting still-life, portraits and landscapes, he has spent his entire life consistently creating excellent works. He was rightly named Thailand's outstanding artist, a National Artist (1990) and also in the same year, he was named ASEAN Awards Outstanding Artist in Visual Arts.

Tawee's initial creative works from his schooldays between 1947 and 1948 can be classified as Impressionism. Tawee was greatly inspired by the French school of Impressionism partly due to the influence of Silpa Bhirasri who introduced his students to modern art.

Among his masterpieces was Lotus painted in 1956 which won him a gold medal in the seventh National Exhibition of Art. Tawee is also influenced by the Western style called Cubism. Such influence is apparent in his painting Ayatthaya, Suwannee, a painting of Tawee's first wife was named the best portrait of the year at the 9th National Exhibition of Art. The significance of this painting rests in the attempt to avoid the close resemblance of the subject: detail does not seem to take priority. Tawee used his brushstrokes to accentuate the structure of the counternance and other parts of the painting. Not only was the artist able to portray a face that was telling in emotion and feeling, he also succeeded in conveying with accuracy and liveliness the characteristics of his wife Suwanee. Another special attribute in his portrait which is consiedred a pioneering step in Thai portrait painting is the use of bold lines to give prominence to the model and prevent her from being blended into the background.

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