BANGKOK DESIGN WEEK 2026, 29 JAN–8 FEB

PHAYANCHANA

phayanchana portraits

Over the past several years, Phayanchana has created works using Thai letters through a technique called Wannaroop. This involves reinterpreting consonants, vowels, and tonal marks into various forms—ranging from animals and flowers to locations in Bangkok and beyond. These works demonstrate that Thai letters are not merely tools for communication but artistic media capable of conveying beauty, meaning, and identity without limits. For this Phayanchana Portraits exhibition, we have expanded the concept of Wannaroop even further by creating portraits of contemporary influential figures from diverse fields, including art, music, acting, directing, thinking, sports, religion, politics, and media. Each individual has a unique life path, work, and personality. In this exhibition, Thai letters become the very lines that construct each person’s identity. The first letter of a name may serve as the main structure, while vowels and tonal marks function as elements that express emotion and movement. These portraits do not attempt to capture facial details; rather, they interpret the essence of each individual through the dimensions of language and letters. Each portrait is drawn using the person’s own name, requiring careful observation of their distinctive traits and thoughtful placement of letters. This approach not only clarifies the visual form but also reflects each individual’s unique character, blending the letters with the art of design to create tangible, expressive portraits.