Natee Utarit – Deja vu: The Last Chapter Part 1 Stained Glass

Richard Koh Fine Art Bangkok is delighted to announce “Deja vu: The Last Chapter” a captivating exhibition featuring the thought-provoking works of esteemed Thai artist Natee Utarit. The exhibition will be held from 27 April to 11 May 2024, at Richard Koh Fine Art Bangkok’s gallery located in the Peterson Building, 712/1, 9th floor, Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Tan, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.

“Deja vu: The Last Chapter” is an exploration of the phenomenon of recalling scenes and events as if they have happened before, which forms the conceptual foundation of Utarit’s latest series. Through skillful interweaving of re-envisioning of the past and present, Utarit invites viewers to delve into the intersections of culture, identity, and history.

The series, conceived in 2019, unfolds the hypothetical journey of Buddha to the West, where he encounters Greco-Roman culture and other symbols from both the Eastern and Western worlds. Utarit’s exploration is deeply rooted in his quest for identity amidst the remnants of colonial conditioning still present in Thailand. Through a reflective analysis of his own culture, he engages in a dialogue with the colonial discourse, utilising Buddhism as a conduit to navigate Asia’s spiritual and cultural landscape.

“Deja vu: The Last Chapter” features a diverse array of mediums and compositions, including painting, sculpture, embroidery, stained glass, and woodcut. Each medium corresponds to historical moments that have shaped Western

canons, challenging conventional notions of cultural and historical probability. The exhibition will be presented in three parts, spanning from April through June. The first part, starting in April, will focus on stained glass works; the second part, in May, will showcase objects and embroidery; and the final part, in June, will feature paintings. This sequential presentation adds depth and nuance to Utarit’s exploration of cultural intersections and historical reimaginings.

Through these evocative inquiries, Utarit weaves together common aspects of different cultures to craft a new narrative—one that blurs the boundaries between East and West, past and present. “Deja vu: The Last Chapter” invites viewers on a journey of exploration and introspection, where the familiar and the unfamiliar converge to reveal new layers of meaning and possibility.

“Deja vu: The Last Chapter” by Natee Utarit will be on view at Richard Koh Fine Art Bangkok from 27 April to 11 May 2024.

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.