For Phongsakorn Mahapaurya, art is what has stayed by his side through the up and downs of life. From his casual notebook sketches to larger oil paintings, the exhibition at Woof Pack on Saladaeng Soi 1 displays the sentiments and the journey Phongsakorn or Thank has been through. While Thank is famed for his career in acting and also as the son of the ex-Democrat Party politician and former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij, his personal life hasn’t been smooth sailing. Thank’s sister, Karn Chatikavanij, acts as the curator for this exhibition, Out Of The Darkness, to help put together her elder brother’s narrative of finally coming out into the lightness.
Artist Phongsakorn Mahapaurya and curator Karn Chatikavanij
From the black wall at the entrance, the exhibition unravels to us in chronological order. Starting from Thank’s personal notebook sketches, the first frames confirm that this is where the drawer finds his solace. Through broken relationships amongst other problems, the artist ventured into a dark place, and it was addiction along with art that helped him carry on. With an educational background in jewellery design, his passion for art grew with his anxiety. The walls of the gallery boast dark scenes of the night—the only time Thank paints. Black backgrounds with illuminated subjects make up his personal style.Â
Pages from Thank’s notebook
