Tawan Wattuya (b. 1973) is a contemporary artist based in Bangkok. Tawan explores Thai social identities. He is interested in the situation of Thai society and the state of its fabric. His watercolour painting style is subtle and brash at the same time, both aesthetic and shocking. The artist’s interests cross a variety of fields from subcultures, politics to fashion and depict animals, humans as well as popular objects. He often draws inspiration from public images and current issues which he critically and provocatively engages. In his portraits, Tawan sharply criticises problems that have been affecting Thailand and is known for choosing often politically relevant, sometimes controversial subject matter. His works reflect his vision of humanity losing its aspirations and ethics.
Tawan’s works have been extensively exhibited across Asia in China, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia as well as in Singapore. In Europe his works were shown in France, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy and the UK. Other notable exhibitions took place in the United States in New York and in Australia. His works were shown at distinguished galleries such as Tang Contemporary in Bangkok, Gallery Yang in Beijing, The Lodge Gallery New York, Toot Yung Art Center in Chiang Mai, NCA Nichido Contemporary Art Gallery, Tokyo, Artist+Run Gallery, Bangkok, Sundaram Gallery, New York, Saatchi Gallery, London and Numthong Gallery in Bangkok. Tawan’s paintings are held in many collections. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Silapakorn University.
“…Hailed as one of Thailand's most unique and engaged painters, Tawan's acute perceptiveness of global contemporary society infuses his work with a latent brutality exquisitely balanced with his masterful watercolour technique on soft bamboo paper…”
– Bangkok Post
Biography
- B.F.A. in Painting, Silpakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Solo Exhibition
2019 “MENAGERIE” SUNY ONEONTA University, Oneonta, New York,USA
“Queen” nca nichido contemporary, Tokyo, Japan
“Daisuke Miyatsu Collection x Kasama Nichido Muceum of Art Blending the quintessence of modern and contemporary art” Nichido Museum,
Kasama, Japan
2018 “Rogues Gallery : Monsters, Villains & Hellbent Politicians” The Lodge Gallery, New York, USA
“Out of The Frying Pan, into The Fire” ARTIST+RUN Bangkok , Thailand
“The Insignificant War” Diginner gallery workshop, Tokyo, Japan
“Reckless” Toot Yung Art Center, Mae Rim, Chang Mai, Thailand 2017 “Blinded” Diginner gallery workshop, Tokyo, Japan
2015 “When water Beats” ART&PLUS, Paris, France
2014 “Like a Virgin” Alliance Françoise de Brisbane, Brisbane, Australia
“Dek Oey Dek Dee” Toot Yung Art Center, Bangkok, Thailand
2013 “Tii Tai Krua” The Art Center Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok ,Thailand
2012 “Fading Nostalgia” Gallery Yang, 798 art zone, Beijing, China 2011 “Superheroes and the Unreachable Fantasies”, DCA Gallery, Brussels,Belgium
2010 “Okinawa part 2”, Tsuchi Gallery, Naha city, Okinawa, Japan “Bimboes, Stars & Super heroes”, Toot Yung Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
“Uniform/Uniformity”, Tang Contemporary Art, Bangkok, Thailand “Tawan Wattuya”, Galerie Compagnies du Monde, Paris, France “Beijing Art
Fair”, Beijing, China
2007 “Siamese Freaks”, Numthong Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
2005 “500” Sarazine Gallery, Sarasin Road, Bangkok, Thailand
2001 “Lonely People” Burapha University Art Gallery, Bangsaen, Chonburi, Thailand
2000 “Western Japan Merger” The Gallery by Cocoon, Bangkok, Thailand Group exhibitions
2019 “Crossover Pattani” Pattani art space & Eh gallery , Pattani, Thailand
2018 “AFTER EDEN” Harrick Gallery, London, United Kingdom. “The Blog of Choice” Associazione Culturale Art’ A.V.A., Taranto, Italy “RE/FORM/ING
PATANI” Melayu living , Pattani, Thailand
“Khon Kaen Manifesto” GF building, Khon Kaen, Thailand
“Art Collection Exhibition” T-Art Hall ,Tokyo ,Japan
“galerie nichido Taipei Winter Group Show” galerie nichido Taipei, Taipei , Taiwan
“small works: an endless journey” nca nichido contemporary, Tokyo, Japan
2017 “Farewell : The art Center’s Acknowledgment” The Art Center Chula, Bangkok, Thailand
“Condemned To Be Free” WTF Gallery & Café, Bangkok, Thailand
“Jet’ aime... moi non plus” nca nichido contemporary art , Tokyo, Japan
“Funayama’s collection” Fuma Contemporary Tokyo Bunkyo Art, Tokyo, Japan
“A Journey Far From Home” Galerie Nichido, Taipei , Taiwan “Jura- Okinawa” Galerie Du Sauvage , Jura, Switzerland
“Totem” Saatchi Gallery, London, England
“Head or Tails?” Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York, USA
2016 “PRUDENTIAL EYE AWARD” Contemporary Asian Art, ArtScience Museum, Singapore
“Bare” Hof art , Bangkok, Thailand
“a peculiar nature” The Lodge gallery, New York, USA “Tracing the past” nca / nichido contemporary art , Tokyo, Japan
“Crossover” Rycom Anthropology, Koza, Okinawa, Japan
2014 “KOANS” Tang Contemporary Art, Bangkok, Thailand “World Watermedia Exposition, Thailand, Ratchadamnoen Contemporary Art Center,
Bangkok, Thailand
“ANTHROPOS” Sundaram Tagore gallery, New York, USA
2013 “DENY” Gallery D-9, Bangkok, Thailand “BUKRUK” BACC, Bangkok,Thailand
“UNCENSORED” Numthong Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand “Anthropos” Numthong Gallery, Bangkok ,Thailand “Anthropos” Sundaram Tagore
Gallery, Singapore
2012 “Cut Thru” Lasalle College of The Arts, Singapore
“Thai Trends from Localism to Internationalism” , BACC, Bangkok, Thailand
2011 “Dialogues”, Belgian and Thai art and design exhibition, BACC, Bangkok, Thailand
“Wall2”, BACC, Bangkok, Thailand
“RAW” Numthong Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
“City of angels/identity crisis”,Galerie 59 rue Rivoli, Paris, France “When all you got is given”68 Square Metres Art Space, Copenhagen, Denmark
2010 “KOZA A.I.R”, M&A gallery, Okinawa city, Okinawa, Japan 2009 “Story of the Eye”, Gossip Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
“La Thailande vous sourit” Chapelle Saint Julien, Salinelles, France
“Broadsheet Notations”,Tang Comtemporary Art, Bangkok, Thailand
2008 “The Inner I”, GMT+7 Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
“My next Artist”, Nguyen Tan Chong Gallery, Paris, France “VDO”, 856 G Gallery, Cebu, Philippine
“3 Young Contemporary”, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2007 “Artist self portrait”, The Silom Galleria, Bangkok, Thailand
2006 10th Anniversary, Numthong Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand 2005 “Face Up”, Numthong Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
2004 “Ode to the Period’s Difference”, Tang Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
2003 “Private”, Art Exhibition, Rajamangala Institute of Technology Art Gallery (Klong 6 Campus), Thailand
2002 “Traces of Wisdom”, Tang Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
Artist Residency
2006,2010,2016, 2017 Okinawa , Japan
2011 Copenhagen, Denmark
2012 Beijing , China
2015 Budapest , Hungary
2016 Oaxaca , Mexico
2017 Jura , Switzerland
2018 Taipei , Taiwan
Tawan Wattuya