art does not necessarily recount stories through painting; it can also reveal objective qualities and
functions of multiple media and materials.
1.2 Mixed media art in Thailand
A clear example of the use of the term “mixed media” in Thailand’s art realm is the National Art
Exhibition in which a contest in the mixed media art category began in 1981 (the 27th National
Art Exhibition). In the contest, Arkom Duangchaona was the first to be awarded a silver medal for
the mixed media category (no one was presented with the gold medal). Mixed media art continued
to exist in the 28th National Art Exhibition but ceased to be part of the contest for the following
eight years until a piece was presented with a silver medal for the mixed media category at the
34th National Art Exhibition in 1991. The name of the awarded work was “New Symbolic from
Environment No. 2” by Vichoke Mukdamanee. From then on, mixed media fine arts in Thailand
have been organized in alignment with the National Art Exhibition. (In certain years, mixed media
art was absent, or no one was received an award; yet, it was not long until mixed media re-emerged
in subsequent years.)
The definition of mixed media in the National Art Exhibition is constantly developing. For
instance, in an application for the participation of the 61st Fine Arts Exhibition (2016), mixed
media was categorized as the fourth type apart from painting, sculpture, and printmaking. Mixed
media was defined as “Fine artwork utilizes different art approaches, such as painting mixed with
sculpture and/or more than two types of materials like ready-made materials, natural materials,
synthetic materials, technological materials and mixed media installation.”
The confusion lies in how to distinguish mixed media from painting and sculpture as mixed
media is defined by technical conditions (a mixture of two or more types of media and/ or materials)
while painting and sculpture are distinguished by dimensions of work (two and three dimensions).
With different conditions, the types of work become overlapped. Some can be classified as both
“painting” and “mixed media” at the same time while others may be classified as “sculpture” or
“mixed media”.
Therefore, using the term “mixed media” to describe the features of each piece of work depends
on the intention of the person classifying the work. To focus on the dimensional aspect of the
work, artists, critics, and curators often call their work paintings or sculptures. However, if they
want to present the aspect of technical mixtures, whether two-dimensional or three-dimensional,
all the work can be classified as mixed media art. In addition, there are such words as mixed media
painting, mixed media sculpture, mixed material painting, mixed technique painting, and mixed
technique sculpture. These represent important evidence of the flexibility and complexity of mixed
media art created and disseminated throughout today’s art world.
2 METHODOLOGY
In this paper, the author tries to observe and analyze the art pieces made by Vichoke Mukdamanee.
The progression between artworks, and how it influences art in Thailand. Art criticism methods were
used to analyze the artwork. In general, art criticism could be used to responding to, interpreting
meaning, and making critical judgments about specific works of art. In this case, the artwork
mentioned is related to the case study of mixed media artist, Vichoke Mukdamanee.
3 THE CASE STUDY OF A THAI MIXED MEDIA ARTIST: VICHOKE MUKDAMANEE
3.1 About the Artist
Professor Vichoke Mukdamanee is an artist who created contemporary artwork. He began creating
his early fine artwork in 1973 from human figurative shapes and accounts. He developed mixed
4
functions of multiple media and materials.
1.2 Mixed media art in Thailand
A clear example of the use of the term “mixed media” in Thailand’s art realm is the National Art
Exhibition in which a contest in the mixed media art category began in 1981 (the 27th National
Art Exhibition). In the contest, Arkom Duangchaona was the first to be awarded a silver medal for
the mixed media category (no one was presented with the gold medal). Mixed media art continued
to exist in the 28th National Art Exhibition but ceased to be part of the contest for the following
eight years until a piece was presented with a silver medal for the mixed media category at the
34th National Art Exhibition in 1991. The name of the awarded work was “New Symbolic from
Environment No. 2” by Vichoke Mukdamanee. From then on, mixed media fine arts in Thailand
have been organized in alignment with the National Art Exhibition. (In certain years, mixed media
art was absent, or no one was received an award; yet, it was not long until mixed media re-emerged
in subsequent years.)
The definition of mixed media in the National Art Exhibition is constantly developing. For
instance, in an application for the participation of the 61st Fine Arts Exhibition (2016), mixed
media was categorized as the fourth type apart from painting, sculpture, and printmaking. Mixed
media was defined as “Fine artwork utilizes different art approaches, such as painting mixed with
sculpture and/or more than two types of materials like ready-made materials, natural materials,
synthetic materials, technological materials and mixed media installation.”
The confusion lies in how to distinguish mixed media from painting and sculpture as mixed
media is defined by technical conditions (a mixture of two or more types of media and/ or materials)
while painting and sculpture are distinguished by dimensions of work (two and three dimensions).
With different conditions, the types of work become overlapped. Some can be classified as both
“painting” and “mixed media” at the same time while others may be classified as “sculpture” or
“mixed media”.
Therefore, using the term “mixed media” to describe the features of each piece of work depends
on the intention of the person classifying the work. To focus on the dimensional aspect of the
work, artists, critics, and curators often call their work paintings or sculptures. However, if they
want to present the aspect of technical mixtures, whether two-dimensional or three-dimensional,
all the work can be classified as mixed media art. In addition, there are such words as mixed media
painting, mixed media sculpture, mixed material painting, mixed technique painting, and mixed
technique sculpture. These represent important evidence of the flexibility and complexity of mixed
media art created and disseminated throughout today’s art world.
2 METHODOLOGY
In this paper, the author tries to observe and analyze the art pieces made by Vichoke Mukdamanee.
The progression between artworks, and how it influences art in Thailand. Art criticism methods were
used to analyze the artwork. In general, art criticism could be used to responding to, interpreting
meaning, and making critical judgments about specific works of art. In this case, the artwork
mentioned is related to the case study of mixed media artist, Vichoke Mukdamanee.
3 THE CASE STUDY OF A THAI MIXED MEDIA ARTIST: VICHOKE MUKDAMANEE
3.1 About the Artist
Professor Vichoke Mukdamanee is an artist who created contemporary artwork. He began creating
his early fine artwork in 1973 from human figurative shapes and accounts. He developed mixed
4