Fua Haripitak (1910–1993)

Fua Haripitak was a modern Thai artist recognized for his pioneering role in modern Thai painting and his contribution to preserving classical Thai art. He was generally considered to be an avant-garde artist in his time, as he constantly challenged academic conventions and experimented with many artistic styles including Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, and Cubism. As a student of Silpa Bhirasri (1892–1962), Haripitak never stopped learning, exploring new methods or drawing new inspirations from both Thailand and abroad throughout his lifetime. His works of art are noted for their thick, bold brushstrokes and vivid colors, through which he aimed to capture impressions and experiences of different places and the moods of each moment. His 1949 landscape painting Petchaburi won him the Gold Medal Award from Thailand’s First National Exhibition of Art the same year. Haripitak won three consecutive first prize awards in painting from the National Exhibition of Arts. In 1985, he was awarded the National Artist of Thailand in Fine Art and Visual Art.