ARTISTS
1968 -
Pradit Tungprasartwong has won awards at many competitions, including the National Art Exhibition, and continues to attract attention, even in the contemporary Thai art scene. His creative activities from part of a journey in the fight against mental impairment.
Pradit Tungprasartwong remembers painting since he was about three years old. It did not end with just child's play, and he kept painting and began to actually learn art in earnest at the age of 16. While he was painting, at the age of 24, regarding Buddhist notions which many Thai artists reflect in their works as concepts and motifs, he said that he was not interested in the Buddhist law of Dharma at that time.
However, a big change came in Pradit's life the next year. It was a mental dysfunction caused by an imbalance of nerve transmitters in the brain. In terms of words that are no longer used, it was a type of nervous breakdown. A study has been published that stated Vincent Van Gogh also had a disease similar to this. From that time on, he was to step into a lifelong battle between suffering and Dharma (law).
Pradit Tungprasartwong stopped receiving drug treatment for his condition around age of 35- 40 and instead asked Dharma to alleviate the suffering of the disease. But his illness did not retreat, and by then he was over fifty.
Pradit's current work is inspired by Dharma. Like Radha from Hindu mythology, the most wonderful thing in life is kindness and giving a good part of one's self as an individual. Through the theory of Dharma, in life as the disease progresses, he says that it is my life's mission: to continue to fight the 'hardships', which is suffering to the point of taking one's own life like Vincent Van Gogh did.
Many of the realistically painted figures of Pradit Tungprasartwong where it can be seen that 'death' creeps up beside the depicted figures.
The old man seems to accept the end, and the young woman has a memory of happiness, a hidden face, or a clear image of death.
Many of the works are given titles that remind me of 'truth' and 'existence' which are the two meanings of Dharma, such as 'truth' and 'talking about the ultimate truth'. These titles provide us with a sense of distance to 'death', and at the same time it gives an opportunity to reconsider this moment of life.
Pradit Tungprasartwong
Born in Bangkok in 1968
Education
– College of Fine Art Ladkrabang, Bangkok
– B.F.A (Sculpture) Silpakorn University, Bangkok
– M.F.A (Painting) Silpakorn University, Bangkok
Current Position
– Permanent lecturer, College of Fine Art Ladkrabang, Bangkok
Solo exhibition
2013 – Confrontation: three Element of Life, Chulalongkorn Library, Bangkok
2012 – Talking to her 789 Gallery, Bangkok
2007 – Portraits of lives, Surapon Gallery, Bangkok
Award-winning history
2018- Fine art department, Ministry of culture Listed as Excellent artist 24th of Thailand
- 1st prize, Gold Medal Award, Painting Section at the 64th National Exhibition of Art
2017- winner award, 3rd Krungthai Art award
- 2nd prize, Silver Medal Award, Painting Section at the 63th National Exhibition of Art
2016- 3rd prize Bronze, Medal Award, Painting Section at the 62th National Exhibition of Art
- 1st prize 2nd Krungthai Art award
2015- 1st prize 1st Krungthai Art award
- Krungthai award 2nd 61st National Exhibition of Art
2014 - Krungthai award 2nd 60th National Exhibition of Art
2013 - 3rd prize Bronze, Medal Award, Painting Section at the 59th National Exhibition of Art
2011 - 3rd prize Bronze, Medal Award, Painting Section at the 57th National Exhibition of Art
2004 - 3rd prize at the 6th Panasonic Contemporary Art Exhibition, Bangkok
- 2nd prize, Silver Medal Award, Painting Section at the 50th National Exhibition of Art
2003 - 2nd prize, Silver Medal Award, Painting Section at the 49th National Exhibition of Art
2002 - 1st prize, Gold Medal Award, Painting Section at the 48th National Exhibition of Art
- 1st Grand Prize, The 4th Panasonic Contemporary Art Exhibition, Bangkok
- 2nd Prize, Painting techniques in the Painting Competition on the Occasion of Hm King Bhumibol's 75th Birthday, sponsored by ICC international Public Co.Ltd.
2001 - Excellent Prize, Oil Painting exhibition, Sriracha, Chonburi
- Honorary Mention Prize, Thailand's Contemporary Art Exhibition sponsored by Philip Morris
1999 - Honorary Mention Prize, Thailand's Contemporary Art Exhibition sponsored by Philip Morris
1994 - Special Prize, 5th Toshiba Art Exhibition, Bangkok
- Winter Award, Painting of the organization (League of Co-ops.)
- 3rd Prize, Painting under the topic of ' Environment', sponsored by Turbora co.
- Admiration Prize, Design Competition of Special Government Saving Bank tickets
- Honorary Mention Prize, Thailand's Contemporary Art Exhibition sponsored by Philip Morris
