20 + 20

Richard Koh Fine Art (RKFA) is proud to present 20+20, a solo exhibition of selected works from the past 20 years of Thai artist Natee Utarit’s practice, staged across the gallery’s three locations in Bangkok, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur. The exhibition celebrates 20 years of RKFA’s journey and reflects the gallery’s ongoing commitment to fostering long-term collaborations with artists, among which its two-decade relationship with Utarit, one of Southeast Asia’s most significant contemporary painters, has been particularly meaningful.

Since its establishment in 2005, RKFA has remained dedicated to championing contemporary art from Southeast Asia and beyond. Over the past two decades, the gallery has presented over 700 shows, including art fairs, international collaborations, and gallery exhibitions worldwide. These milestones underscore the breadth of the gallery’s activities and its sustained commitment to building cross-cultural dialogues. Over the years, the gallery has worked alongside a diverse roster of artists whose practices carry both artistic depth and cultural resonance. Within this wider journey, Utarit has been one of the gallery’s earliest and most consistent collaborators. His practice, known for interrogating classical Western painting traditions while engaging with the cultural, philosophical, and sociopolitical realities of Southeast Asia, has made a vital contribution to critical conversations in the region.

20X20 unfolds sequentially across RKFA’s three galleries, underscoring both the geographical reach of the gallery and the depth of Utarit’s artistic journey. The exhibition brings together a selection of works — drawn from past and recent series — that have passed through the gallery’s hands over the last two decades. Together, they offer a reflection on the evolution of Utarit’s practice, the scope of his concerns, and the enduring dialogue between the artist, the gallery, and its collectors.

Through this gathering, audiences are invited to encounter Utarit’s sustained exploration of history, religion, morality, and humanism — themes that continue to resonate deeply today.

Natee Utarit (b. 1970, Bangkok) studied at the College of Fine Art in 1987 and graduated in Graphic Arts at the Painting and Sculpture Faculty at Silpakorn University, both in Bangkok, Thailand in 1991. Solo exhibitions include Optimism is Ridiculous: The Altarpieces, The Private Museum, Singapore (2018), Optimism is Ridiculous: The Altarpieces, National Gallery of Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia (2017), Optimism is Ridiculous: The Altarpieces, Ayala Museum, Manila, the Philippines (2017), Illustration of the Crisis, Bangkok University Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand (2013), After Painting, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore (2010) and The Amusement of Dreams, Hope and Perfection, Art Center of Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand (2007). Recent group exhibitions include Beyond Bliss, Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, Bangkok, Thailand (2018), Contemporary Chaos, Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium, Norway (2018), Thai Eye, BACC, Bangkok, Thailand and Saatchi Gallery, London, UK (2016/2015), Art of ASEAN, Bank Negara Museum and Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2015), Time of Others, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan (2015) and Asian Art Biennale 2013: Everyday Life, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei, Taiwan (2013).

His work is part of many renowned collections, such as the Bangkok University, Bangkok, Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, as well as private collections in Europe and Asia.

Utarit’s multifaceted practice focuses on the exploration of the medium of painting connecting it with photography and classical Western art. Light and perspective are some of the elements the artist chose to work with, focusing on painting as a means to explore image making. His complex pictures, juggling wide-ranging metaphors usually in the format of the traditional still life, allude to Thailand’s current social and political landscapes.