Thesis Panels

Mid July is right around the corner, and with it comes the completion of my thesis project, followed by graduation. Completion of the thesis project requires that we submit at least six finished pieces of art accompanied by a written piece. I have come close to completing 5 large acrylic panels and 20 small 5x5 inch panels to make up for the sixth. Some of them were included in my blog post mini thesis paintings. 

Included in this post is 4 of the 5 large panels . All of which need a bit more work especially the one with the monkeys, as this is the most current piece and has a lot more that needs to be done to it. The color in the images I am showing here are not very true to the actual piece of art and I hope to include some better quality images of the finished pieces soon. 

Bkk thesis painting

Bkk street vendor 

Bangkok, also known as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or "the city of angels" is Thailands largest urban area and primary city. Bangkok was founded by King Rama 1 , in 1782 and was originally a small trading post nestled along side the Chao Phraya  River. Over the course of the last 200 or so years Bangkok has grown to become political, social, and economic , center for not only Thailand but for Indochina and South East Asia. Due to Krung Theps influence in art, polotics, fashion, education, entertainment, and business Bangkok has transformed into a metropolitan melting pot of global status and proportions. 

Bangkok's population  is comprised of a mixture of people from around the world , and it is said that estimated population reaches close to 15 million while only 8,160,522, are actually registered residents(July 2007). With influences from around the world Bangkok in current times has become a rather interesting place , offering a unique mixture of the cultures of the world all intermingled with the Thai tradition. 

In my thesis project I am looking to explore the differences in the world , how different cultures influence one another in both positive and negative ways, and what the collision of the old world and the new world has brought upon us. I love how in places such as South East Asia there are old temples and ruins nestled within the big city. You may see an old temple growing right out of the side of a new sky scraper, or an old style bicycle taxi along side of that of a brand new sports car. In a place like Bangkok it is common to see someone wearing traditional clothing along side of that of someone wearing a modern suit or outfit. A great example of all of this would be to compare shopping experiences in this city, in the same day you could buy something at an ancient floating market, or at a super sized  space aged shopping mall like the MBK. 

  It has all become rather fascinating to me that in places like Bangkok some people continue to hold on to the ways of old while others have gone on at warp speed assimilating with the most modern technology, fashions,fads, and ideas. The ways in which old world traditions have become swallowed up by new world developments has largely become a theme in my work. 

Tuk Tuk Ride

Acrylic on panel

24x48

Cambodia

Angkor Design

Graphite and digital

Below are a few photos I shot while in Cambodia

Bayon Temple, Detail

Temple in the Jungle

Cambodian Child

Cambodia is a country with a rich history and culture. Human settlements in Cambodia date back as far as the reach of memory, record , or tradition. The traces of the first organized civilizations date back to third millennium B.C  to a time when a Neolithic culture had already begun to create a  considerable amount of lithic productions, pottery and bronze ware. 

Over time these early craftsman built some of the most impressive Temples in the world, that have been come to be known by many as Angkor Wat(Although  Angkor Wat is only the name of a single temple within many).

Cambodian culture has been faced with many challenges in the ancient world and certainly in the modern world of today. Because Cambodia was rich with resources it was a region of desire and fell under attacks by the Siamese. In 1594 the Siamese Army sacked Angkor an event that many feel later lead to the colonization of Cambodia by the French in 1863. Overtime Cambodia went on to gain its Independence. In the mid 1950's the monarch Prince Sihanouk ,prided himself that Cambodia remained neutral no longer under the rule of the French. 

This time was short lived as Cambodia was later dragged into the Vietnam War in the 1960's.  President Nixon's sloppy bombing campaign along the border of North Vietnam and Cambodia  forced the communists further into Cambodia. The communists that stabilized deep within Cambodia lead to the formation of the Khmer Rouge, a guerrilla group that was able to take over the country. While the Khmer Rouge occupied Cambodia they tried to create what they called a new Cambodia, a Communist Utopia. Creating their twisted vision of a Communist Utopia involved stealing children from their homes, depriving them of education and contact with their families. There was a declaration that the ancient history of this wonderful country was now dead, to be forgotten. Without mercy they ripped people from their homes, stole their possessions , and killed anyone that fought back. Killing became wide spread ,the educated were killed, the elderly were killed, and monks were killed . Taking someones life was as easy as scratching an itch for that of the Khmer Rouge. These ruthless barbarians are responsible for the widespread Cambodian Genocide in which  resulted in over 1.7 million deaths(the movie Killing Fields is based upon this).

Luckily Vietnamese forces in 1979 ousted the Khmer Rouge, but not soon enough. The Khmer Rouge did not value the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, in fact they viewed their victory over the country to be of greater importance. They destroyed many of the early Cambodian religious icons,  removed stones from the temples to build prisons, eating halls, and stoves. They destroyed libraries, and schools, which resulted in a loss of over 80 percent of written works in the original Khmer language.  The list goes on and on about how much of a beautiful culture was lost and destroyed by the Khmer Rouges occupation of Cambodia.

Since these difficult times there has been a lot of effort in order to reconstruct the temples and Cambodia as a whole. Although Cambodia has been slow to recover from the genocide, which wiped out a generation of leaders, intellectuals and teachers.

Recently I traveled to visit Cambodia and the temples of Angkor Wat, and my final thesis painting is a response to that Journey. There are a lot of feelings and ideas whirling in my mind and my heart about this amazing place and I hope that I am able to convey some of that in the piece. For now I am showing the color comp for the painting which was done in adobe photoshop.

The finished painting will be another 24x48 inch acrylic on masonite panel.

Cambodia , Color Comp, Adobe Photoshop

 

Mini thesis paintings

 The main body of my thesis project consists of 5, 24x48 acrylic panels that are impressions of the various people, places, and things I have encountered during my travels. In addition to the large paintings , the project will also include a series of 20 to 25  , small 5x5 inch , acrylic panels. Many of the small panels are based directly upon drawings from sketchbooks that I kept while I  was traveling. I also use these smaller paintings as a form of relaxation or as a break from the larger panels. When I reach a crisis point on one of the larger panels or need a break from it, I move on to work on some of the smaller ones . This gives me a nice feeling of freedom for some reason , I guess its because for some reason the smaller paintings feel like less of a commitment.  During my recent solo show at the Day One Skate Shop ,I actually received more compliments on the smaller pieces than the large ones. It seems, like people are really drawn to them and forced to get up close to them because of their smaller scale. Below are just a few of the mini paintings I have been working on, the rest are hanging at the Day One Skate Shop and  I have not had a chance to scan them yet.

Bangkok Tuk Tuk Driver

acrylic on panel

5x5 inches

French Cyclist

acrylic on panel

  5x7 inches

Hassip the Boat Driver

Acrylic  on panel

5x5 inches

Hassip takes flight

acrylic on panel

5x5 inches

Hassip attempts to land

acrylic on panel

5x5 inches