Artist : Anupong Chantorn
Technique : Acrylic on monk’s robe
Year : 2007
Size : 80 x 100 cm

It has been thirteen years since Anupong Chantorn won the Gold Prize at the National Artist Awards in 2007 for his controversial painting Bhikku Sandan Ka or Monks as Crows. The painting depicts two figures wearing saffron robes with black crow beaks rummaging through begging bowls as used by Thai Buddhist monks. Perched on them are crow birds waiting for an opportunity to snatch away any potential treats. These figures have elongated limbs and over-sized heads with exaggerated hands. The closed eyes on these figures represent the veil these evil entities shroud themselves with in order to get by through the sacredness of Buddhism.

In Wait For the Rest (2007), the painting is inspired by the daily life of a traditional Thai household, similar to how the artist grew up. There is an old belief that monks eat first at the start of the day, then everyone else can follow suit. It is a tradition that stems from the idea that everything you take from the temple must go back to the temple. And so, Anupong was taught from a young age to never be the first to scoop rice from the pot for yourself, as that first portion is to be given to monks during their morning merit making rounds; teaching patience and virtue through imagery from ancestral wisdom.

The painting is a part of a series of art work created on saffron robes that were stitched together to make a tableau. Just like Wait For The Rest (2007), these paintings received negative backlash from conservative Buddhist groups that demanded Anupong’s prize to be stripped. These saffron robe paintings were seen as insulting to the faith and that he must face consequences.

But with Anupong’s training in Thai art, especially with temple mural paintings, these paintings are nothing short of a well thought out visualised images of what he studied and was taught at home by his elders. These depictions are of sham monks who take advantage of the sacred robe, hiding behind Buddhist traditions for personal gain. These evil acts exists, said the artist and it should distinguish good monks from bad ones.

A Silpakorn University graduate, Anupong studied Thai art, spending his student years learning the skill and artistry by studying mural paintings and practicing the stylistics of drawings found on temple walls. He became very well versed in the stories that were told on these murals and was equally inspired by tales of spirits and ghosts on Balinese embroideries.