Thawan Duchanee facts for kids

Thawan Duchanee (born September 27, 1939 – died September 3, 2014) was a famous Thai artist. He was known around the world for his paintings, buildings, and sculptures. In 2001, he was honored as a National Thai Artist for his amazing work in Fine art and Visual art.

Thawan grew up in Chiang Rai, Thailand. He started studying art when he was just fifteen years old. He even received a special scholarship from the Ministry of Education to attend the Art and Craft College. Later, in 1958, he continued his studies at Silpakorn University, focusing on painting, sculpture, and graphic art.

About Thawan Duchanee

His Early Life and Art Studies

Thawan was a very talented artist from a young age. When he was young, he was very interested in Buddhism. His way of creating art changed a lot when he studied at Silpakorn University. He was one of the last students of a famous teacher named Silpa Bhirasri.

Thawan usually got great grades for his drawings. But in Silpa Bhirasri's class, he received a low grade. His teacher told him, "Your fish don't smell like fish, your bird can't fly, your horse can't be ridden. You are just copying, not creating real art." This made Thawan think differently. After that, he changed his approach and became an amazing student.

His Later Years

Thawan passed away on September 3, 2014, at 74 years old. He had been in the hospital for a few months due to health problems. His funeral was held in Bangkok. A special ceremony was even led by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

Thawan's Art Ideas

Thawan's art often included ideas from Buddhism. For example, he created a series of paintings based on the ancient story of Ramayana. He showed all the characters in his own special way. These Buddhist paintings helped him become famous worldwide as a modern Thai artist.

Thawan believed that "Art is beyond nature and intellect." This means he thought human creativity in art was very important and could go beyond what we see or think.

Art Style and Materials

Thawan was very creative with his art techniques. He was one of the first artists to use a special ballpoint pen for engravings. He would make millions of tiny strokes to create his art. However, a doctor later advised him to stop this method because it was not good for his health.

He also used a Zen brush to create paintings. These works often showed ideas from Zen philosophy.

What made Thawan's paintings special was not just their shapes or religious stories, but also the colors he used. He learned about art from China, India, and Japan, which often used only one color (monochrome). This inspired him to paint in black and white. He felt this helped him show his inner feelings more clearly.

Thawan was not only famous for his paintings but also for his buildings. His most famous building is the Black House, also known as Baandam Museum. This unique place was his home for the rest of his life.

Main Artworks

Paintings

• The Dhammapada
• The Battle of Mara
• The Last Ten Lives of the Buddha
• Seeing what is Visible

Buildings

• Buddhist Medication Room
• The Biggest Work of the Painter is not a Painting

How People Saw His Art

At first, not everyone liked Thawan's art. Some students even protested and damaged his works. They thought his paintings were disrespectful to religion. However, over time, people began to understand and value his art. Today, his works are seen as masterpieces.