Thai Artists Create A Gory Message - Drawings By Human Blood

[webfact]

Artists create a gory message

By Pongphon Sarnsamak

The Nation

A supporter of fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra drawings the Democracy Monument by human blood as a demonstrate in Bangkok yesterday EPANARONG SANGNAK

BANGKOK: -- Over 45,000 cubic centimetres of blood drawn from red-shirt protesters were used yesterday by artists to paint 70 metres of canvas with expressions of the red shirts' spirit and resolve to oust Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and call on him to dissolve the House.

"I want everyone to know how people power is important for us," said Akarapol Ngern-Nei, a 15-year-old student from the Victory Monument area of Bangkok, one of the 40 independent painters.

"Abhisit must return power to the people so they can have something to eat," he added as he painted while trying to avoid the smell of blood.

His pictures showed hundreds of demonstrators surrounding Democracy Monument at Rajdamnoen Road.

Seven blank cloth canvases, each 10 metres long, were laid down on the second floor of Pom Maha Khan near Phan Fa bridge, the main protest site.

Mai-Neung Kor Khuntee, an independent artist who led the group, said all the pictures would be wrapped around Pom Maha Khan as a symbol to tell the world about their political struggle.

The artist will also mix some blood with cement to build four city pillars and sculpt an image of Nuamthong Paiwan, a taxi driver who used his own cab to ram a tank in a show of defiance against the military coup in 2006.

His statue will be set up in front of Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda's Si Sao Tewes residence.

The rest of the blood will be mixed with resin for headbands as souvenirs for protesters.

Akarapol said people had donated their blood as a sacrifice for their beloved country, just like their ancestors had sacrificed their lives to save Thailand from invaders in the past.

The young artist said he learned painting at his school in the Min Buri district of Bangkok. He wanted to show his political inspiration through the pictures of thousands of red-shirt protesters and the Democracy Monument.

He said he would display his artwork to foreign reporters so people around the world could understand the political situation in Thailand.

He has visited and joined the rally at Phan Fa bridge every day since March 12, coming during the day with his friends. He also volunteered for the blood collection campaign last Tuesday and used his blood to splatter Government House and other places.

Next to Akarapol, a 40-year-old Bangkok resident known as Boy had drawn a picture of a gun and two hands fouled with drops of blood.

The gun, drawn in blood, means violence and the two hands are those of the government that had hurt people,he said.

Vichak Srithai, 49, an independent artist from Ubon Ratchatani, used a cloth canvas to paint a Buddha image with candle wax soaked with blood."When the blood dries, the image of Buddha will be shown," he said.

His contemporary artwork signifies the power of drama, which will bring justice to the people, he said.

At midday, the red shirts were few as the temperature was rising to 40 degrees Celsius, but in the evening thousands of protesters gathered again at Phan Fa Bridge.

-- The Nation 2010-03-22

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[BkkMD]

What's with the reds and their blood fetish. Give a rest already!!!

[jonclark]

"Next to Akarapol, a 40-year-old Bangkok resident known as Boy had drawn a picture of a gun and two hands fouled with drops of blood.

The gun, drawn in blood, means violence and the two hands are those of the government that had hurt people,he said."

I take it that the picture represents Taksin war on drugs and the innocent which lost their lives - Very inspirational. Hope many of the reds look and learn from it.

[ovaltina]

Inks & pencils make for a more subtle & emotional response, than blood. I do artworks to sell, since 1982, and to be honest you can make more of an captivating & hard-hitting drawing using pencils than you can with congealed plasma.

Its just another step back away from civilisation. Even cavemen used multi-coloured pigments and crystals to produce powerful art.

[tonglen]

Inks & pencils make for a more subtle & emotional response, than blood. I do artworks to sell, since 1982, and to be honest you can make more of an captivating & hard-hitting drawing using pencils than you can with congealed plasma.

Its just another step back away from civilisation. Even cavemen used multi-coloured pigments and crystals to produce powerful art.

Im sure youre a talented artist and I would love to see your work some time, but I will have to respectfully disagree.

While I am not a proponent of this or any other march, I DO like the medium of blood, insofar as blood goes. Not my preferred medium, but it has a powerful impact on some people, myself included. Is it a bit campy? sure, but its still pretty inventive. Is it high quality art? No, it rather looks like a 3 graders painting. But it still retains a somewhat raw, visceral feel.

Its certainly a better use than throwing it against gov't buildings.

[Tony121]

Does anyone know how much the bloody headbands are? sound like a great gift idea.

[toptuan]

What's with the reds and their blood fetish...

If you've eaten much pork noodle soup in Isaan, you'd know...

[jonclark]

Next thing you know the women will be donating their used sanitary towels

[TheLaughingMan]

Is no one else going to comment on the fact the "artists" are talking complete hogwash propaganda? Is this what they truly believe? That they cant eat and its the governments fault? As far as I know FOOD is the one thing NEVER lacking in Thailand even for the poorest of poor. What kind of lies are these? And the violence of the government? What the government RIGHT NOW that does nothing violent at all? How on earth are these stories accepted by people?

[toptuan]

Next thing you know the women will be donating their used sanitary towels

Too late. That's already been done. Sometime last year.

[bacchanal]

The artist will also mix some blood with cement to build four city pillars and sculpt an image of Nuamthong Paiwan, a taxi driver who used his own cab to ram a tank in a show of defiance against the military coup in 2006.

A new low attempting to make a martyr out of the delusional and suicidal mentally ill.

[bacchanal]

Does anyone know how much the bloody headbands are? sound like a great gift idea.

Quite. Nothing says, "I love you on Valentines", quite as much as a sweaty and bloody HIV-infected rag.

[tonglen]

What's with the reds and their blood fetish...

If you've eaten much pork noodle soup in Isaan, you'd know...

Do they use blood in their cooking? If so, thats one additive I could do without.

[yoshiwara]

The shedding of one's own blood and mingling it with others is a symbolic ritual to emphasise solidarity between the blood brothers.

It is a very popular ritual with the Italian mafia.

Beware anybody who wants to leave the clan.

Thaksin no doubt appreciates the mafia ritual.

Money laundering and systematic corruption is another mafia favourite that Thaksin imitates.

For the rest of us, as long as the reds are spilling their own blood and not others we can live with that.

Unfortunately memories of last Songkran when the reds ran violently amok cause us to beware that the play blood this time might get ugly.

Thaksin has form. Capo form.

[witold]

I don't understand why every time there is a red shirt topic, people come out of the woodwork criticizing anything redshirts do. They could be solving world hunger and some people on this board would leave some bitter and spiteful comments. Why so much anger?

Any links to pictures of the final work?

[TAWP]

"Abhisit must return power to the people so they can have something to eat," he added as he painted while trying to avoid the smell of blood.

Wow, the level of brainwashing propaganda that preludes statements like this is saddening and sickening.

[yoshiwara]

I don't understand why every time there is a red shirt topic, people come out of the woodwork criticizing anything redshirts do. They could be solving world hunger and some people on this board would leave some bitter and spiteful comments. Why so much anger?

Any links to pictures of the final work?

Oh yes.

red art

[mazeltov]

Inks & pencils make for a more subtle & emotional response, than blood. I do artworks to sell, since 1982, and to be honest you can make more of an captivating & hard-hitting drawing using pencils than you can with congealed plasma.

Its just another step back away from civilisation. Even cavemen used multi-coloured pigments and crystals to produce powerful art.

another step back away from civilisation? worse than cavemen?

what would you as an "art expert" say to the work of a fellow like Hermann Nitsch?

would you say it is degenerate art?