Winner of the prestigious Sovereign Asian Art Prize in 2006, Thai artist Uttaporn Nimmalaikaew has developed a unique method of creating haunting images of ethereal figures printed on multiple layers of screen, with threads interwoven and suspended throughout these layers, suggesting our deep psychic ties with others and our ancestry, and simultaneously the frailty and temporality of these connections. "His works start from a canvas backdrop that is set inside a deep casement, and that is then lightly veiled by multiple layers of thread and netting. The artist paints (as well as prints with an inkjet) not only on the canvas but also on the thread and netting in order to create shimmering portraits and figurative scenes," writes Canadian gallerist Craig Scott. These portraits are frequently of his mother, the source of his artistic inspiration, as well an important symbol of ancestry and temporality. "For me, it all starts with the relationship that I have with my mother. As I see my mother every day growing older, growing weaker, I know she will eventually be gone from me. It makes me fearful and worry, but I also know it is a part of life," Uttaporn explains. Each piece is an exploration into the essence of impermanence, and the cycles of natural life. "I intentionally draw the threads through the netting and leave them drooping to suggest a life flowing, of aging, and physical degeneration," Uttaporn says. "Everything is in a state of decay and decrepitude, but with death comes rebirth and that's a beautiful thing." undefined

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