Tang Contemporary Art is proud to present “Joy Land,” a solo exhibition for Thai artist, Kitti Narod, in the Bangkok space from 13 August - 20 September 2020. A graduate of Poh Chang Academy of Arts at the Rajamangala University of Technology, Kitti currently lives and works in Pathum Thani.
Like many Southeast Asian artists, Kitti’s work permeates with the essence of the vibrant natural world and tropical elements. He simplifies the background into completely flat blocks of pure color, laying the emotional foundation for the entire painting. By using pure colors and the flat paint application - the most frank and direct methods for depicting the forms and colors of the subjects - the artist places people, plants, animals, and everyday objects into an image one-by-one. Through the colorfully painted dense emerald leaves, crimson chairs, and brightly-colored clothing, we can see the artist’s love from Matisse and South American art. In his composition and use of shapes, Kitti searches for harmony among simple forms. All of these elements together meld to create light, joyful scenes.
As a member of the LGBTQ community, Kitti also reveals this part of his identity in the content of his works. Equality is a recurring theme that Kitti explores in his work. The LGBTQ community is a minority, but not a disadvantaged group; they seek equal rights, rather than special treatment or privileges. Kitti’s works project his ideal vision of society - creating a Utopia in which “everyone has equal opportunities.” His paintings are a “joy land,” and he reminds us that we can do better and create a better society together.
Kitti excels at treating the questions he is considering in an understated, lighthearted way, presenting them in a familiar and relatable manner in his works. He invites us to empathize with him and explore the Self and the world together as he builds his own “joy land.”
Artist
Kitti Narod
b. 1976, Thailand
Kitti Narod trained at Wittayalai Pohchang Art College, Bangkok, from 1996 - 1998, and later obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the Rajamonkong Institute of Technology in 2000. He has exhibited extensively both domestically and internationally, including in Singapore, London, Bath, Edinburgh, Manchester, Dublin, Cork, Montreal, and Melbourne.
Kitti Narod creates paintings that convey a sense of joy and optimism through the gentle and warm portrayal of daily life and human connectedness. In his paintings, everyone and everything exist together in a utopia. This notion may seem unrealistic to some, especially during an era of social division, but the artist’s work tries to remind us to appreciate the simple pleasures and to pay attention to the mundane or basic details of daily life. Perhaps then, euphoric feelings will not seem so unattainable. The artist considers his works to be a meeting place for diversity, where all the physical and spiritual are equal.