Written by John Irvin                           No. 2                                           August 20, 1998

WANCHAROEN JAPAKANG

The sculpted metal is finely detailed, and except for the isolated areas of goldleaf paint, there is only one color, a dark gray that freezes the action in time. But the detail of the animals, the rocks, and the temples are still remarkably fascinating, and we can inspect the different features of the work for hours, always finding something new to marvel at. The water, stylized in its small waves, and the waterfall in the center offset the scenic background and frame the subject of the artwork, the seated Buddha in the middle. He sits at the crest of the waterfall, as if the whole scene has been created for him.

Wancharoen Japakang, the creator of this metal scene, "Jackrawan," has been a sculptor in Chiang Mai for over 25 years. His works appeared recently in a show called "5 Northern Artists," at the Art Museum at Chiang Mai University. A visit to the artist’s studio, a pleasant courtyard at his home, finds him along with several new works in progress. Rectangular metal frames rest in various places across the courtyard, ready to be pressed, bent, hammered, or taken through whatever process is required to turn these flat uninteresting pieces of aluminum into expressive squares of art.

"I like to use the old way to make the new art," Wancharoen told me of his work, "not copying, but using traditional ideas or techniques or stories to make something different." He explained that at places like the department of Thai at Silpakorn University, students are taught about traditional art, but encouraged to find new ways to express these ideas. "The idea is not to copy, but to use the old stories to make new ones," he said. "I used to do abstract work, all curves and lines." But around him now, I saw mostly classic looking works: strong, authoritative and finely detailed.

In the background of "Jackrawan," hills, rocks and forests lead up to several houses which look like temples. In the very back, at the top, is a large, conspicuous house. In the foreground, elephants are offering lotus flowers to the Buddha. Wancharoen explained that the work shows the Buddha coming to earth from heaven to help man.

Wancharoen is very concerned about the plight of the Buddha and of traditional culture in Thai society today; hence, it is a theme that is repeated over and over again in his work. He has several works which show a snakelike figure, with arms and legs, entangled near the Buddha’s head. "This represents the thief who will steal the Buddha image," Wancharoen told me. He fears that when Buddha images are removed from Thailand, they often are not treated with the proper respect, and are often used as decorations or objects of art by people who have no understanding of their true meaning.

"I often show the Buddha through a door or a window," he said. "But the window or door is always half closed, so that you cannot see the entire Buddha. I believe we must keep him protected, and I try to show this in my art." Wancharoen’s concern also extends to the preservation of local culture, and he is dismayed by parents in Chiang Mai who don’t teach their children the northern Thai language, phaasaa neua.

Wancharoen starts his work with a simple sheet of aluminum. He would like to work in silver and copper, but they are simply too rare and too expensive for him to come by. He starts by folding back the edges so that the sheet has about a one inch rise off the background. He then supports it with a tar mixture underneath, to cushion the blows it will receive in its shaping. The piece is mounted on a wooden frame to further increase its stability. From there on, creating the work is simply a matter of reducing the rise, or height, of the metal from its base. So, instead of building out, he pushes in, pounding with hammer and chisel.

I watched him work, pressing in with his chisel on the water in a piece similar to "Jackrawan." He was remarkably fast and accurate at putting the lines in the water, which from a distance look like waves.

Wancharoen told me that he got the idea of working in metal after studying Lanna art. Six hundred years ago, the Lanna people used to make bowls out of silver, he said. Wancharoen decided to take the concept of the metal work from the bowls, and flatten it out, creating a new form of the art.

"The artist is not fixed, not tied to do exactly like the real thing in art," he said. "He is free to deviate from tradition." He pointed out that the elephants in some of his other works had wings, which could not be found in traditional Thai art. But figures in his work such as the seated Buddha figure and the temples seemed very classical in appearance.

Rahu, Wancharoen Japakang        Raised Aluminum Sculpture        © Kiti Boonmee

"Rahu," or "Eclipse," recounts the traditional story of the ghost that swallows the moon, or the sun. A square frame contains the round moon, covered by this round monster. Along the bottom row, a line of teeth – they look like shark’s teeth – are visible. Throughout the work are many swirls and circular shapes. In the center, an elephant’s head with the long skull and trunk can be seen. Several goldleaf impressions dot the centers of the swirls.

Wancharoen said he like to have fun with this piece. "When there was an eclipse, the people would try to help the moon by shooting guns, setting off firecrackers, banging on pots and pans, to frighten the ghost away," he said.

In addition to his sculpture, Wancharoen has been a consultant for Chiang Mai University, creating the famous elephant logo, and designing their graduation gown. "When I was here, the university was a much smaller place, fewer buildings," he said. He previously had a art gallery in Chiang Mai, and now his wife runs a guest house which houses his studio. He has three children, including a daughter who is in the art department at Chiang Mai University. She also had a few works in the "5 Northern Artists" show.

As one of the Chiang Mai’s most important artists, Wancharoen emulates both the old and the new, the traditional and the innovative, in Thai art. He has a deep concern for the religion and culture of northern Thailand. His art is vital, and he often gives guidance to younger artists, particularly those from the north of Thailand. I look forward to his continued presence on the art scene in Chiang Mai.
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Jirapat Jangjamras assisted in the research for this story.

© Copyright 1998, John Irvin

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