Seven artists honoured with this year's Silpathorn Award

KRISSIE NA KLONGTOEY

The Office of Contemporary Art and Culture under the Ministry of Culture recently recognised seven contemporary artists through this year's Silpathorn Award. The award was given to Pinaree Sanpitak, Vasan Sitthiket and Rirkrit Tiravanija in the field of visual arts, Sirivara Kaewkarn in the field of literature, Narong Prangcharoen in the field of music, Nimit Pipitkul for performing arts and Thunska Pansittivorakul for film.

Pinaree's art installations have all been based around the image of a woman's breast, transforming it from a mere symbol of gender to a more powerful form of universal expression.

Pinaree Sanpitak.

Thunska currently teaches at Bangkok University and writes for several magazines. His short films and documentaries have been screened at several international film festivals. Happy Berry won him the Grand Prize at the 4th Taiwan International Documentary Festival in 2004, and in the following year his first 35mm film project, Heartbreak Pavilion, won a "Top Award for PPP" at the 10th Pusan International Film Festival in South Korea.

Vasan Sitthiket has continuously used art to reflect the ills and imbalances of society, using an in-your-face approach to make people sit up and question things. Rirkrit Tiravanija, meanwhile, invites audiences to interact within his installations in a social context, thereby questioning the essence of society. Society is also the theme of the plays of the New Crescent Moon Theatre under the directorship of Nimit Pipitkul.

Thunska Pansittivorakul.

Narong Prangcharoen is one of the few Thai musicians who have made composition their forte and is currently making headway in the US and has a new album in the pipeline.

Writer and poet Sirivara Kaewkarn's latest book, the unlikely-titled Rueng Lao Khong Khon Bunteuk Rueng Lao Tii Nak Lao Rueng Khon Nueng Lai Hai Khao Fang (Tales from a Scribe that a Story-teller Once Told Him), has been shortlisted for this year's SEA Write Award.

Sirivara  Kaewkarn.

Now in its fourth year, the Silpathorn (which literally means "Upholder of the Arts") Award recognises artists who have created a continuous body of work that has greatly impacted the contemporary art scene and inspired younger artists. It comes with a cash prize of 100,000 baht, a pin of gold, diamonds and emeralds modelled on the emblem of the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture as well as the prestige of being a national cultural ambassador.

Past awardees include Chalermchai Kositpipat, Chat Kobchitti, Danu Huntrakul, Pen-eak Ratanareung, Pradit Prasattong, Pornchai Jaima, Kittisak Meesomseub, Bandit Ungrangsi, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Manop Meejamrus, Chatchay Puipia, Vin Leawvarin, Nut Yontararuk, Wisit Sasanatiang and Pichet Kluncheun.

Vasan  Sitthiket.	Rirkrit  Tiravanija.
Nimit  Pipitkul.	Narong  Prangcharoen.