Published in Art4D, Thailand
No 9/1999

Emphasizing the intimacy of human touch over the modern mechanical world, Melbourne ceramicist Vipoo Srivilasa has recently exhibited his ‘Lai Krarm’ series at Surapon Gallery.

Lai Krarm: n. porcelain or china with design in indigo blue.

The definition above does not make Lai Krarm different from any other earthenware. A special feature of Lai Krarm is an artist-painted decorative design on earthenware, using only indigo blue as colour, but for Vipoo Srivilasa Lai Krarm has more meaning than what the ordinary definition states.

Whenever we see news reporting the discovery of old earthenware, both in kilns of archaeological buildings or cargo ships of ancient times, the identification of the owner or source of earthenware can be proved in many ways via a scientific process by studying the soil structure, form, or even decorative designs.

Lai Krarm originated in East Asian countries before spreading to Europe where it was regarded as a higher and more valuable collection item for people of class, until European countries started to produce their own. Traditional decorative designs with indigo blue usually conveyed a story about daily life, belief, and the environment of ancient communities. In decorative designs from the Sukhothai period we often see bird, fish or flora forms symbolizing a prosperous land, which is similar to a picture of a happy dancing farmer with calm mountains in the background found on some European indigo-blue flowerpots.

Lai Krarm presents one of the most important historical evidences that also specify a cultural exchange between countries. In ancient times when big ships were used as main form of transportation, time was a factor and cross-continental communication was not an easy thing to achieve; a story from the other hemisphere was, therefore, passed on via this kind of earthenware.

The popularity of Lai Krarm did decrease greatly but some groups of people continued to collect Lai Krarm, recognizing the importance of these objects that exchange cultural information from the past to present times, and not just as objects of cross-continental communication as in the past. Vipoo Srivilasa, a contemporary ceramic artist, was born in Thailand and went to Australia in 1996 to further his studies in ceramics. He now lives in Melbourne.

Srivilasa may not be well known in the Thai ceramic field but he is one of the ten young prominent ceramic artists in Australia. He was selected by the Australian Craft Council to exhibit his work, along with Australian artists, at SOFA, Sculpture Object & Functional Arts, which is one of the biggest international craft fair held in Chicago, USA.

Lai rarm is not only the title of his first solo exhibition of ceramic works in Thailand but it also represents a particular technique he uses to produce his work shown at this exhibition. The first time he exhibited here was at a group exhibition with other Thai artists at Silpakorn University. At that time he met Mr. Surapon, owner of Surapon Gallery in Bangkok, who invited Srivilasa to hold a solo in his space resulting in Lai Krarm, and the exhibition took place from 15 September until 15 October 2005.

Srivilasa originally intended to use two Thai ceramic techniques such as Lai Krarm and Benjarong, or hand-painted enamel decoration with five primary colors that is over glazed. However when he started producing this collection, Lai Krarm was the first technique that he employed as he is very fond of it and Benjarong was put on the back burner for the time being.

The way Srivilasa works is by integrating distinct factors, an original concept he has used from the very beginning. In this exhibition he wanted to mix information on culture, art, philosophy and surroundings of the East and the West together, without the limitation of time or resources.

So we can see a kangaroo, a symbol of Australia, along with Tamleung or ivy gourd vine, decorative design mostly found in Sangkhalok ware of Sukhothai period, contained in the same frame and mingling cultures. He also juxtaposes swimming fish and hearts with wings, or of Thai dance gestures and dollar signs, the later symbolizing capitalism, in one design.


Those who have had a chance to see his previous works might think that the collection of works in Lai Krarm are different from his preceding works which emphasized organic forms or images of creatures, as well as employed vivid colors and a straight-forward narration. In 'Mermaid', for example.

Srivilasa wanted to produce a work to express an emotion, so he created a stage in the background from baked clay and included a wooden box covering the ceramic work to present the piece as a special theatre. It is not only his composition of the artwork that seems to be real, lighting of the work also gives ‘Mermaid’ a special emotion to the work.

Since he moved to settle down in a country such as Australia that is full of marine and natural resources, most of Srivilasa' s works, consequently, focus on the subject of a sea world reflecting impressions of the ocean, like 'Ocean Fantasies', 'Mermaid's Teapot' and 'Coral Show'.

In 'Action Man' he demonstrates a story about gay and lesbian couples, along with Thai and Australian culture, by using figures from the Rococo style of 18th century as well as from the Ramayana.

In this exhibition he also presents work that is more audience friendly by depicting images from our daily life such as a flower, bowl or forms from Sangkhalok ware like a Parn or footed tray. The reason why he uses forms of Thaiware is not only to gain acceptance from the Thai audience, but in doing so he aims to bring the Thai people closer to ceramic art.

Moreover, he still creates every one of his pieces by hand, as with his previous work, and each piece is stamped with his own special identity. His designs on Lai Krarm are the stories and thoughts from his own earlier life, which have been stored up for 25 years, and they speak of his past in Bangkok and his present life in Australia and elsewhere.

Therefore when we consider his works we strongly feel that his thoughts have flooded out with a great gush, as if they were left behind for several years and were looking for a suitable time to pour out. This exhibition is installed without any formal arrangement, similar to mural paintings of Chadoke or Buddhist Dharma paintings in Thai temples, but Srivilasa's work, on the other hand, cannot be continuously and harmoniously read as Chadoke.

He intended to install without continuity, separating each story by a simple line because he wanted to create some space between the artist and the audience and give a chance to both to use their own imagination. In doing so, it seems, Srivilasa simply wants to let information flow in the air and give the audience a chance to interpret and create their own stories. In other words, he also hopes that Lai Krarm will be a starting point of collaboration and information exchange between Thai ceramic artists.

After this exhibition Srivilasa plans to produce a new body of work for an exhibition in Australia, and then start on a new two-year project which he aims to exhibit in Thailand in the future. And when that time comes, Lai Krarm may become important evidence to consider on the Thai ceramic field, as being part of a network that relates and gives Thai ceramic art a greater opportunity for acceptance.

For additional information and discussion about the Thai ceramic art field, log on to www.thaiceramicsart.com

Relate topic
Lai Krarm Gallery
Lai Krarm catalogue essay
See the exhibition