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拍品专文
Two seemingly disparate subjects, a small dog and an oversized dental typodont, come together in an amusing yet anatomically peculiar portrait. Far from being mere decorative or surreal flourishes, these objects form the bedrock of Natee Utarit’s distinctive pictorial vocabulary. The Crisis stems from the artist’s critically acclaimed and politically charged series, Illustration of the Crisis. Showcasing an exceptional command of technique to imbue his subjects with life, the work reinforces Natee’s status as one of Southeast Asia's most original and compelling contemporary artists.
The series of Illustration of the Crisis emerged from Natee’s sense of a crisis in Thailand that extended beyond political turmoil amidst 2009 to 2011; a time of changing power relations and the erosion of long-held cultural beliefs. Spurred by his 'renewed fascination for the pictorial language of classical painting' (Natee Utarit, quoted in Richard Koh Fine Art (ed.), Illustration of the Crisis, Kuala Lumpur, 2013, p. 68-69), the oversized typodont in this painting can imply the significance of speech, authority and confrontation, and things that society is not ready to discuss. Placed next to the small dog, this dramatic difference in size further suggests a relationship of vulnerability and power. The oversized typodont repeats at least 9 times in the series, therefore making The Crisis especially representative.
Before starting to paint, Natee creates artificial scenes, much like a theatrical set, with props and found objects gathered from antique shops or flea markets to produce an imaginary world. This artificiality prevents the painting from becoming a literal representation of events, but a symbolic or dreamlike space in which these social anxieties can be represented indirectly. This arrangement serves as the setting for his paintings, which he then photographs. Once everything is set perfectly, he begins to paint.
A graduate from Slipakorn University in Bangkok, where he took an equal interest in the classical art of the Renaissance as well as theories of postmodernism, Natee has exhibited extensively in Berlin, Switzerland, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. His works were most recently part of the inaugural edition of The Print Show and Symposium Singapore as part of Singapore Art Week 2026 and BLACK: Vibrant Multiple Light presented by MAIIAM in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The popularity of his work internationally can be traced to the visual impact, as well as complexity of his work.
A master of evoking drama and atmosphere through a control of light and shadow worthy of Caravaggio, while imbuing his canvasses with a multiplicity of meaning akin to Hans Holbein, Natee combines the spirit and ideals of Classicism with modern tenets of surrealism to fashion his own unique mode of artistic expression. He therefore transforms his objects into an enigmatic allegory through deceptively simple composition, demonstrating his masterful ability to use the language of painting to articulate the complexities of the contemporary world.
The series of Illustration of the Crisis emerged from Natee’s sense of a crisis in Thailand that extended beyond political turmoil amidst 2009 to 2011; a time of changing power relations and the erosion of long-held cultural beliefs. Spurred by his 'renewed fascination for the pictorial language of classical painting' (Natee Utarit, quoted in Richard Koh Fine Art (ed.), Illustration of the Crisis, Kuala Lumpur, 2013, p. 68-69), the oversized typodont in this painting can imply the significance of speech, authority and confrontation, and things that society is not ready to discuss. Placed next to the small dog, this dramatic difference in size further suggests a relationship of vulnerability and power. The oversized typodont repeats at least 9 times in the series, therefore making The Crisis especially representative.
Before starting to paint, Natee creates artificial scenes, much like a theatrical set, with props and found objects gathered from antique shops or flea markets to produce an imaginary world. This artificiality prevents the painting from becoming a literal representation of events, but a symbolic or dreamlike space in which these social anxieties can be represented indirectly. This arrangement serves as the setting for his paintings, which he then photographs. Once everything is set perfectly, he begins to paint.
A graduate from Slipakorn University in Bangkok, where he took an equal interest in the classical art of the Renaissance as well as theories of postmodernism, Natee has exhibited extensively in Berlin, Switzerland, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. His works were most recently part of the inaugural edition of The Print Show and Symposium Singapore as part of Singapore Art Week 2026 and BLACK: Vibrant Multiple Light presented by MAIIAM in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The popularity of his work internationally can be traced to the visual impact, as well as complexity of his work.
A master of evoking drama and atmosphere through a control of light and shadow worthy of Caravaggio, while imbuing his canvasses with a multiplicity of meaning akin to Hans Holbein, Natee combines the spirit and ideals of Classicism with modern tenets of surrealism to fashion his own unique mode of artistic expression. He therefore transforms his objects into an enigmatic allegory through deceptively simple composition, demonstrating his masterful ability to use the language of painting to articulate the complexities of the contemporary world.