Biography

Phaptawan Suwannakudt

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Phaptawan trained as a mural painter in the workshop of father, the late master Paiboon Suwannakudt 1969 - 1979. She worked on a year contract as an ESL teacher to Indochinese refugee for UNHCR in Nongkhai Refugee camp on the border of Thailand 1980. She resumed to the role of painter to assist Paiboon for the mural project and ceiling scheme Bangkok Peninsular Hotel 1981. She oversaw the completion when Paiboon passed away. Phaptawan became the first woman to lead a temple mural painting team in Thailand at Wat Srikhomkam, Payao province and completed ten commissioned projects throughout Thailand until 1995. She instructed mural painting the Royal SUPPORT Foundation from 1984 and led her students to complete mural at Thasuttawat temple in Angthong province 1994. She was involved in the women group exhibition Tradisextion at the Concrete House 1995, the precursor of Thailand based Womanifesto International Women Collective 1997

Phaptawan has been in international exhibition including Women imaging women: home, body, memory, Cultural Centre of the Philippines 1998; El Poder de Narrar, Espai d’art Contemporani de Castelló, Valencia. Spain 2000; Open Letter touring exhibition across Southeast Asia, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Arts 2005; 18th Biennale of Sydney MCA Australia 2012; Traces of Words; Art of Asia, Museum of Anthropology, UBC Vancouver Canada 2017; Beyond Bliss, Bangkok Art Biennale 2018; AsiaTOPA Arts Centre Melbourne 2020; The National Art Gallery of New South Wales 2021; ESOK Jakarta Biennale 2021; Asia Art Archive at the Documenta 15, Kassel Germany 2022

She has participated in seven art residency programs including Carriageworks Sydney 2018 and A.E.Y Space Songkhla 2022. Her works are in public and private collections; National Gallery of Thailand; Art Gallery of New South Wales; Art Bank Sydney; Rama IX Art Collection and the Art Gallery Singapore. Her work was acquired for the State present to Thailand to cerebrate of the 60th Anniversary Australia Thailand Diplomatic Relation at the Parliament House 2012

She is a recipient of the Australia Council grant (2001, 2011, 2018), the NAVA artist grant (2010 and 2013), and a grant from Office of Contemporary Art, Ministry Culture of Thailand (2012)