Follow-up of the 2007 National Artists Announced by the Office of the National Culture Commission of Thailand, Ministry of Culture, in Literature/ Visual Arts/ Performing Art.

Abstract

The key purpose of this study was to follow up the 2007 awarded national artists announced by the Office of the National Culture Commission of Thailand, Ministry of Culture, in Literature/ Visual Arts/ Performing Art in the context of outstanding works, creativity concept, social communication, creativity principles, experiences and livelihood of six national artists (five currently alive and one died). Individual national artists’ representative works were analyzed. In this study, all national artists named Krisada Aroonwong Na Ayutthaya, Decha Warachune, Yanyong Olarnrachin, Kowit Anakchai, Charn Buabangsorn, and Nakarin Chathong.

The results showed as follows.

A study of creativity concept recognizing the elegance, durability, and utility based on the appropriate social context indicated that some national artists recognized the innovative experiments which experimental results could be applied creatively through mixed media techniques while others applied personal experiences of journey to create the imagination. In regard to works recording though photographs, some national artists applied the arts and religion as useful guidelines in writhing and making speech to transmit the peacefulness and tranquility to the society while other made advantages of personnel living experience to compose songs that reflect the contemporary society. In addition, some who are fascinated with local arts profoundly devoted their strength and mind to bring forth development as we’ve seen today.

Social communication is a way the national artists communicated and express their ideas to the public in pattern of desired devotional behavior explicitly and continuously though which their artworks served as medium. Until today they still serve as media, keeper, and developer of arts and cultures.

Creativity principle indicated that representative artworks analyzed were different between expression contents. In Visual Art, three national artists in different fields; architecture, printing and mixed media, and photograph, recognized the punctual accomplishment that meets scheduled timetable and architectural uniqueness of the works. In regard of printing and mixed media, they recognized the expression in the combination of geometric form, representing objectivity, and organic form, representing mental and emotional vividness through photographing, and placed importance on narrative story, picture composition and quality materials. In Literature, there was only one national artist. The art education and religious study were connected together as principle in composing the writing; poets, articles, and novels in harmonious way. In Performing Art, there were two national artists which musician and writer applied their realistic experiences in extraordinary contemporary context to compose songs. In regard of folk performance, Nang Ta Lung, it emphasized the uniqueness that reflected the rural way of living, in combination with arts and culture that represent the amusement and public access in the way that folk performance could be maintained sustainably.

National artists’ personal experience and lifestyle demonstrated that the differences in experiences faced by individual artists, depending on their way of living as national artist. They were industrious to create works constantly and uniquely. They also sacrificed themselves for public through their knowledge and competence, particularly in artistic talents through which they were given opportunity to serve the society. Despites some of them have suffered their unfortunate fate without social attention; the power of artistic creativity remains alive and powerful. Some artists became disabled while others still produce the creative works regularly and constantly. Certainly, this is the way representing the differences and diversification in the life of the national artists who still alive.