Bangkok Post – Artist explores crumbling ideals

Atta Gallery is holding “Ayudhaya 2023”, a photo painting exhibition by Manit Sriwanichpoom, a stalwart figure in the realm of contemporary art, from Thursday to June 16.

On showcase will be artworks depicting broken Buddha statues that serve as a powerful inspiration for Manit. Often found encircling Wat Mahathat in the ancient city of Ayutthaya, these statues bear witness to the ravages of time and conflict.

Each one appears disfigured, mismatched and forlorn — some lacking heads, others missing arms or bodies, while still others feature smaller bodies pieced together from fragments of other shattered statues.

Put together by the Fine Arts Department officials, these poignant remnants are the legacy of the tumultuous history of Ayudhaya , where wars with Burma and the plundering of Buddhist temples by Chinese and Thais left their mark.

For Manit, they evoke…