Eclipse by Prasong Leumuang

curated by Kasamaponn Saengsuratham

The exhibition Eclipse features a series of paintings by Prasong Luemuang, depicting scenes of one of the most historical moments known to humankind as the whole world braved through a great pandemic together. The artist spent three years observing and reflecting upon this unprecedented time, viewing it both at a distance and close up through his own personal experience and his signature artistic practice, and marvelously rendered it into a set of massive paintings, the largest he has ever created. This solo exhibition serves to showcase Luemuang’s new series to the art scene of Bangkok in a decade. The exhibition brings together two series with 12 artworks and many paintings not yet seen by the public, encapsulating Luemuang’s unique artistic approach and style drawn from five decades of consistent and prolific practice.

Prasong Luemuang (b. 1962, Lamphun)

Prasong Luemuang has been a prolific painter his entire life. Born in the province of Lamphun, he began his artistic endeavor at Sirikorn Fine Art School in Chiang Mai, after which he joined the Thai Art Department, Faculty of Painting, Sculpture, and Graphic Arts, Silpakorn University in Bangkok. Despite not completing a degree, he was trained under the supervision of Chalood Nimsamer and started to gain recognition through the many awards he received during his time as a college student. As a visual artist, Luemuang masterfully conveys his experience, perception, and surroundings through distinguished paintings. His gouache works created in the late 1980s to 2000s are exceptional in technique and content, quintessentially depicting ‘Lanna-ness’ and its identity, culture, people’s way of life and scenery as seen through the eyes of the artist. Unquestionably, Luemuang is not only one of the pioneering artists who unwaveringly affirmed their ‘Lanna’ identity despite the dominance of mainstream Thainess at the time, but also a profoundly influential figure and trailblazer in the Thai art world. In response to the coup d’etat which led to a civilian movement to oust the dictatorship and demand democracy in 1991-1992, Luemuang created a massive artwork in order to capture the atrocities of the 1992 Black May. This painting thus serves as a visual record of the conflict that etched the history of Thailand’s politics. Later on, the artist started to develop a strong interest in human nature and spiritual journey after the 2000s. This change in thematic engagement is unmistakably reflected in many of his oeuvres as he infused them with Eastern philosophy, from Buddhism to Taoism and Zen, through a variety of techniques including gouache, oil color, oil pastel, as well as Chinese ink. Nevertheless, gouache remains his most favorite and proficient medium.

Photographed by Atelier247