Surasak Sornsena

Surasak Sornsena is a print artist whose specialization is in woodcut relief printing. Deliberately he prints without the printing press, but uses hand-made tools to apply pressure on a matrix and paper. For example, he uses a piece of heavy iron bar with round caster wheels mounted underneath as a press. The chosen materials of the matrices are usually hard woods such as teak whose grains are clearly visible on the paper when printed. In terms of content, he explores the subjects that remind him of his hometown in Isan, the northeastern region of Thailand. For example, he created a series about large trees in the urban landscape showing their distinct features as if they were portraits of individuals. Drawing inspiration from objects that made him nostalgic, Sornsena also explores the Isan temple murals also called “Hoop Tam,” animals and fauna of the rural landscape, buddhist iconographies, and personal references such as the plans of the plots of land he inherited from his ancestors. Sornsena’s use of colors are muted earth tones which connect to nature, the unornamented beauty of the countryside, and nostalgia. Sornsena’s has been featured in many solo and group exhibitions. He also received many recognitions and awards such as Bronze Medal in The 67th National Exhibition of Art, 2022; Silver Medal The National Exhibition of Art, 2023; The First Prize in The 35th PTT Thai Contemporary Art Competition, 2020.