Natee Utarit – Deja vu: The Last Chapter Part 2 Objects & Embroidery

Richard Koh Fine Art (RKFA) Bangkok is excited to present “Déjà vu: The Last Chapter (Part 2)”, the second installment in a three-part series featuring the captivating works of celebrated Thai artist Natee Utarit. This exhibition will be on display from 25 May to 08 June 2024 at RKFA Bangkok.

“Déjà vu: The Last Chapter” showcases Natee Utarit’s multidisciplinary approach, spanning stained glass, embroidery, sculpture, and painting. Each medium revisits pivotal moments that have influenced Western art forms, inviting viewers to rethink established narratives of cultural and historical development. The series unfolds over three sequential parts from April to June, allowing audiences to deeply engage with Utarit’s examination of cultural dialogues and historical reinterpretations.

Part 2 focuses on intricate embroidery and mixed-media installations incorporating historical artifacts. Created in 2020, these works stem from Utarit’s provocative question: “What if the Lord Buddha had traveled to Europe before the rise of Western civilization?” This hypothetical scenario inspired a series of artistic experiments, crafting narratives and objects that blend imagination with historical speculation.

The featured installations represent a significant aspect of the artist’s “Déjà vu” series. They explore the representation of Buddha not just as a scriptural figure but as an icon woven into the fabric of both Eastern and Western cultures. By fusing various collectible items through both physical and symbolic melting processes, Utarit offers a new narrative on Buddha’s teachings and their potential intersections with Western traditions.

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.