Buddhist Saint of Children

Uttaporn Nimmalaikeaw is known for his mixed-media compositions that incorporate multiple layers of materials and the use of painting and print-making techniques in surprising ways. Layering canvas, sheer fabric and netting with pieces of loose thread deliberately draped and woven throughout, the artist paints a three-dimensional portrait of his own mother set on a wooden dais. The painted layers force us to engage with the work from various angles in order to appreciate the portrait in its entirety.

Nimmalaikeaw’s artistic practice is grounded in Buddhist philosophy and this work is a contemplation on the Buddhist notion of ‘dukkha’ or suffering caused by constant change. For the artist, the selfless love and sacrifice of mothers for the sake of their children elevate such women to the status of a Boddhisatva, or one who is on the path to enlightenment through self-denial and suffering. The quiet meditative quality of the work invites us to reflect on the religious connections between suffering and spirituality and the slow unfolding of understanding that might be revealed when perspectives change.