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The Portrait of Siamese Family

6 February - 1 March

Norito is pleased to announce The Portrait of Siamese Family,

a solo exhibition by Prapat Jiwarangsan, in collaboration with SAC Gallery.

Thailand, once known as Siam until 1939, invokes the image of buddhist temples, Siamese cats, lush seaside jungle and backdrop of rice paddy reflecting an agrarian society under absolute monarchy. Behind the imagery lies a nuanced narrative of transformation into a modern nation which is contrasting to the men in these images of Siamese wearing wool coats and silk ties. Among the pivotal moments in this journey was the reign of King Rama V (Chulalongkorn, 1853–1910), a period that coincided with Queen Victoria’s rule in Britain. This era of modernization and reform, characterized by strategic cultural exchanges, played a crucial role in shaping Siam’s trajectory amidst the pressures of Western colonial expansion with British Raj to the west and French Indochina to the east.

     The photographic project The Portrait of Siamese Family recontexualises archival photographs while exploring visual representations of Thai social stratification. Drawing from two distinct sources, the work juxtaposes images of Thai princes in London during the reign of King Rama V with ID photographs of ordinary Thai citizens from the mid-20th century. The former, collected from the archives of the Thai Student Alumni Association in London, captures group portraits of the first generation of Thai students sent abroad by King Rama V. These young royalties, born to many of the king’s wives, were sent to England to receive 

     Western education, returning to Thailand to assume governmental roles and perpetuate the royal legacy. The latter set of images consists of hundreds of ID photographs acquired from a defunct photo lab, taken between the 1950s and 1990s. These photographs depict Thai citizens in uniforms that signify their roles and ranks within the societal hierarchy, including military personnel, police officers, civil servants, and monks. 

     By bringing these disparate visual records into dialogue, Prapat Jiwarangsan (b. 1979, Bangkok) extends the legacy of the contemporary photographic movement, using collage and experimental techniques to spotlight class dynamics. His work reimagines photography as a tool for critical engagement, questioning power structures and historical representations. Reconstructing archival images and obscuring markers of class and identity, Prapat’s portraits blur distinctions between historical record and artistic intervention.

Prapat’s installations have been showcased internationally in Bangkok, London, Berlin, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Kyoto, Seoul, and Singapore. His video works have been featured at prestigious film festivals, including the Berlin International Film Festival, the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the Ann Arbor Film Festival, Onion City Experimental Film Festival, and the Singapore International Film Festival.

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info@noritogallery.com

Hours: Tuesday - Friday 12-6 pm, Saturday 12-4 pm

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