Capturing family bonds

The special bond between artists and their loved ones can inspire them to create captivating works. Two artists — Thepporn Prikphet and Jakkrit Srisongkram — won prizes for portraits of their family members in the Italthai Portrait Prize 2023, Thailand’s national portraiture competition hosted by River City Bangkok.

While Thepporn won the Italthai Portrait Prize worth 500,000 baht for his painting Bliss, which depicts his mother, Jakkrit won the Packing Room Prize worth 200,000 baht for his painting A Beloved Aunt With A Frail Body.

“I am glad to have won the award because I gave my all to create Bliss. However, if I had not won, I would have gracefully accepted defeat since I had done my best,” said Thepporn.

“When my name was announced, I was surprised. On that day I had just recovered from influenza but still felt weak, so I had no expectation of wining,” said…