| Summary: | The drastic changes in Thai life since the 1980s, led by the impact of globalisation and economic growth, has made the Thai people to become more aware of the concepts of nationhood and cultural/national identity or "Thai-ness", especially through the form of cultural activities including visual art. The fear of losing national identity has led to the revival of traditional art, namely "neo-traditional Thai Art". This style is strongly supported by the government and is regarded as the mainstream of the Thai art scene since it has been the most effective catalyst for arousing patriotism and creating a sense of Thai unity. - Thai-centrism is promoted by artists and art instructors as a necessary means to distinguish national characteristics from the influence of Western art styles. Consequently, modern and contemporary Thai art is geared toward the conservative value of national identity. The assumption is that such art should reflect characteristics that are uniquely Thai. Yet, globalisation also gives some Thai artists, who are the subject of this thesis, confidence as the new internationalism opens up a wide range of opportunities. This thesis presents the work of distinctive avantgarde/ contemporary Thai artists, particularly Montien Boonma, Manit . Sriwanichpoom, Michael Shoawanasai, Rirkrit Tiravanija, and Navin Rawanchaikul. They struggle against the dominance of traditional styles and the professional hierarchy, yet are challenged to make distinctive contributions to contemporary Thai art. Thai-ness is defined and redefined in many contemporary contexts, despite the government's favouring neo-traditional art. While neo-traditional Thai art is favoured at home, neo-traditional artists have not really succeeded on the international art scene, even though they have exhibited in major museums around Asia. On . the other hand, avantgarde/ contemporary Thai artists, who always struggle to survive at home, have been selected by foreign curators, who had • developed an appreciation for cutting-edge/ experimental Thai artistic expression to participate in many prestigious international platforms.
|
|---|
