Details

Catalog summary

Patcharapong Meesilp Virtue Signed and dated 2014 on the reverse Oil on canvas 119 by 148 cm.; 46 3/4 by 58 1/4 in. Condition The work is in good condition overall, as is the canvas, which is clear and taut. There is evidence of light wear and handling around the edges of the painting. Examination under ultraviolet light shows no sign of restoration. "In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE." Catalogue Note It may be said that contemporary art in Thailand has become a catalyst for the country’s greater sociological and theological arguments. A relatively younger art movement when compared with the other countries in the region, Thai artists are embracing this new language to address and analyse the foundations of their existence. Patcharapong Meesilp is one such individual whose collection of paintings acts as a social commentary on the importance of self-identity, and subsequently the values that are being championed within a contemporaneous narrative. The present painting Virtue depicts a conventional monk’s bowl, save for the curious detail of a zipper wrapped around the exterior. The once concrete object has now been given layers, with the zipper as a means to unlock the truth concealed inside. Alluding to the lines “ Tell all the truth, but tell it slant ” 1 , the work is a critique of the country’s relationship with religion. Patcharapong’s painting seeks to draw parallels between religion and identity, as well as the self and consumerism, with the latter akin to religion for it fulfils the needs of people. In this sense, spirituality and commercialism have become the building blocks for modernity, for “ an attempt to seek security while [feeling] insecure is a way to [express] identity ” 2 . Virtue is ultimately a brave analysis of the aforementioned dichotomies. The artist is essentially revaluating the given paradigms that fuel a populace to place meaning upon one thing over another. As fellow Thai artist Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook said, “ The age of choice has arrived, [but] we cannot cut loose from these socio-cultural traditions. I often wish I could reach that ultimate state of self-realization: individuality through the process of making art ” 3 . In the current work, Patcharapong grapples with religion, but Virtue is not a religious painting per se. Rather it is a study of self-identity as seen through the many facets of modern society, and finding the individual amidst the dogma and din. 1 Helen Vendler, Dickinson: Selected Poems and Commentaries , Belknap Press, Gld edition, Cambridge, 2012, p. 431 2 Bussaraporn Thongchai, Patcharapong Meesilp: The Vacant Identity , Amarin Printing and Publishing Public Company Limited, Bangkok, 2012, p. 7 3 Van Femema, Southeast Asian Art Today: Thai Art: Past and Present , Roeder Publications, Singapore, 1996, p. 6