About
Contemporary artist · Thailand · b. 1997
Prapanpun Boonyachai is a Thai contemporary artist working primarily in painting. Rooted in her rural upbringing, her practice begins with the collection of overlooked plant materials, which she cuts, binds, and arranges under artificial light before translating them into paint. Her work explores how light, shadow, and attention can transform ordinary forms and alter their meaning and value.
She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking from Silpakorn University, Thailand, and later pursued painting studies at the Barcelona Academy of Art, Spain. Her work has been exhibited in Thailand and internationally, including in South Korea, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, and Poland. In 2026, she was selected as a finalist for the UOB Painting of the Year (Thailand) and the Arte Laguna Prize (Venice, Italy).
When is meaning defined?
Artist statement
My practice begins with dry grass, hay, and weeds gathered from rural landscapes — materials often overlooked or dismissed as lacking value. By cutting, binding, and shaping these fragile elements into temporary animal-like forms, I explore how meaning begins to emerge through transformation, light, and shadow. Through staged arrangements and artificial lighting, I create scenes that exist between reality and illusion.
I am interested in whether meaning resides in the object itself, in its transformed form, or in the shadow that allows it to be seen differently. Painting becomes the final stage of this process: a way of preserving a fleeting moment in which object, atmosphere, and perception come into balance.
Curriculum Vitae
Awards & Recognition
- 2026Finalist, Arte Laguna Prize, Venice, Italy — “Image”
- 2026Finalist, UOB Painting of the Year, Thailand — “Apperception”
- 2023Award, The 2nd International Watercolor Biennale, Hamyang, Korea
Education
- 2022–25The Barcelona Academy of Art, Spain — Painting
- 2017–20Silpakorn University, Thailand — BFA in Printmaking, Faculty of Painting, Sculpture and Graphic Arts (Second-Class Honors)
Languages
- English, Thai
Selected Exhibitions
- 2026Arte Laguna Prize Finalists’ Exhibition, Venice, Italy (6–29 Nov)
- 2023The 2nd International Watercolor Biennale, Hamyang, Korea
- 2020International Watercolour “Pearls of Peace” Season III, Pakistan
- 2020International Watercolor “Hello Hong”, Hong Kong
- 2019International Youth Watercolor Festival, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
- 2018International Print Triennial, Krakow, Poland
- 2018“Printable 2018”, Krungthai Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
- 2018“King to Heaven”, Dinso Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
- 2018“Heaven”, River City, Bangkok, Thailand
- 2018“Heaven”, CentralWorld, Bangkok, Thailand
Art Fairs
- 2026Mango Art Festival, Thailand
- 2019Bangkok International Gift & Houseware Fair, Bangkok, Thailand