200YEARS-010724 - Flipbook - Page 5
Passion Leads to Collection
Kornkamol and Piriya Vachajitpan
Our journey with art began with simplicity. Initially, we both viewed art merely
as beautiful things used for decoration. The closest we got to art was when
we traveled to different places and had the opportunity to visit museums and
galleries like regular tourists. The idea of collecting art felt distant to us, something associated with cities, nations, and the wealthy who had more resources
than they could ever use - not people like us.
So, we consulted each other and realized that a substantial collection must
have a unifying theme. By bringing together diverse artworks in a coherent
manner with a clear narrative, even the smallest or most ordinary pieces become
integral components of the collection, essential and irreplaceable.
Looking back to when we started collecting our first artwork, the main obstacle
was the limited information available about influential Thai artists in the nation9s
art history. Even more challenging was that many significant artists had no
actual examples of their work displayed anywhere - the closest representations
were small, blurry, black-and-white photographs printed in old, dusty books
on library shelves.
Then, in 2013, our paths collided with the art world when a blank wall space
appeared in our newly renovated condo. With the thought of having only one
wall, we decided to try to find a painting by a renowned Thai artist we knew
and hang it there; just one piece would suffice. We could hardly recall any
names with our limited knowledge of our nation9s art, especially Thai artists.
Strangely, we could easily list foreign artists like Picasso, Monet, and Van Gogh. Thus, our collection focused on piecing together the puzzle of Thailand9s modern
art history, creating a comprehensive narrative in the form of a public museum.
The only Thai artists we could vaguely remember were Thawan Duchanee and Starting from the dawn of modern Thai art around 200 years ago, when Khrua
Chalermchai Kositpipat, solely because we had seen them on TV. If we recall In Khong began painting murals infused with Western influences, we progressed
the obstacles in finding a painting we liked for our home - it could have been through the era when Thai monarchs commissioned Western artists to create
a movie plot. Ultimately, we acquired Thawan Duchanee9s elephant painting palatial decorations, the foundational period led by Professor Silpa Bhirasri,
to hang on that troublesome wall.
and up to the present day, where Thai artists have become independent, with
multiple styles influencing various disciplines.
From that somewhat shaky start, our journey in the art world gradually became
smoother, thanks to the generosity of knowledgeable individuals who shared We have always believed that artworks that remain alive offer opportunities
information and the countless books we read. Once we gained confidence, for people to experience them. Art differs from other luxuries like fine cuisine,
we began to meet artists, support galleries, bid at auctions, request pieces wine, fashion, or high-performance vehicles, which can only be enjoyed by their
from collectors, and even search for works by Thai artists that had been lost or owners and diminish or deteriorate with consumption and appreciation. On the
hidden abroad. Our art collection grew exponentially, from one piece to two, contrary, art gains more vitality when more people engage with it, understand
four, eight, and beyond, far exceeding our wall space.
it, and critique it - this is akin to breathing life into the work and honoring the
spirit of the artist who created it, allowing it to endure for a long time.
After a while, we started questioning our motives: Why were we collecting, and
what was the goal of this arduous effort to amass so many artworks? It could We sincerely hope that this collection, which tells the story of Thailand9s proud
not have been for investment purposes, as we had no intention of selling these modern art history through perseverance, chance, fate, or forces beyond our
pieces, no matter how valuable they became. Moreover, the idea of building understanding, will enable us, as ordinary individuals, to acquire nationally
an inheritance for children or grandchildren did not apply, as we had both significant works we never imagined seeing. We also hope it will benefit and
decided not to have descendants. Upon reflection, our reason for collecting inspire others, whether in small or significant ways.
art stemmed from sheer passion.
Moreover, we hope this collection will continue to exist in some form, outliving
However, simply continuing to accumulate art aimlessly, only for us to eventually us. As the saying goes,
