Abstract

This is a qualitative investigation to study the history and development of contemporary Thai art, and to analyze examples of localism in contemporary Thai art during the era of globalization. The researcher analyzed data from documentary study and interviews with experts, artists, and academics in order to understand the identity creation process in Thai art using local cultural capital. These artworks have their own characteristics, despite the influence of mainstream art and culture, which have continually diluted the Thai creative circle. They have achieved this by describing phenomena through popular local frameworks. The results are summarized and discussed using a descriptive analysis method. Results show that contemporary Thai art reflects the identity of the artist and the locality without detracting from the concepts of aesthetic beauty recognized in the Western world. Aesthetics in contemporary Thai art are derived from the fusion of Western aesthetics that spread and affected art in the royal courts and Thai art institutions. These have combined with individual artists’ choices and the pursuit of artistic processes that enable Thai artists to separate themselves from the blurs of globalization. The convergence of global and local beauty is a guideline for the creation of fine arts among many modern Thai artists, especially those artists invited to national exhibitions. Consequently, most contemporary Thai art is a paradigm of artistic expression that is a hybrid between traditional Thai art and popular Western aesthetics.