Thaweesak Srithongdee's figurative and bizarre paintings are instantly recognisable. His latest show "Flesh", currently on display at Thavibu Gallery, showcases both his portrayals of naked muscular males and big-breasted females, hinting at the human concern with physical appearance, and pop art caricatures heavy with political satire.

Yet a closer study of a selection of black acrylics on white canvas reveals that these aren't just playful studies but are, in fact, works calling for world peace.

In "X", Thaweesak portrays such leaders as Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Fidel Castro and Dubya, with a skull in the centre and a gun on the top left corner, and wraps them in a mass of noodles.

"I believe conflicts between humans arise when we cling to a sense of self and identity. We don't respect each other or the differences between each of us," says the graduate of Silpakorn University's painting, sculpture and graphic arts faculty.

His new series reflects his passion for the use of lines rather than colour and staccato dabs. In the work "Mee Jeen", two popish female caricatures in seductive postures sit on a pile of junk and human bodies. Long strips of noodles are mixed untidily around the canvas and drawn in both thick and thin lines.

"Drawing the messy strips is a challenging task. I have no pre-sketches. I want to produce works without any elaborate plans. It's like going on a journey. If you know what you'll confront along the route before you reachthe destination, it takes the fun out of the adventure," says the 36-year-old artist.

The current collection is a continuation of his "Hero" series displayed at the 3rd Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale last year.

In Japan he turned a plain white room into a shrine for heroes by inviting viewers to place stickers of human heads on the walls. He also painted a sedan and a motorcycle white and covered them with whimsical pop cartoons in black.

"The stickers of the heads represent us - little creatures of the universe. I wonder why some people seize power and tried to control and change the world for their own benefit. Hitler might be a hero to some but he is the symbol of the Holocaust to most. The definition of a hero depends on each person's point of view," says the artist.

His interest in heroes was stirred by the war in Iraq and since the US invasion he has devoured books about Hitler and Mussolini and also visited the Holocaust memorial in the US.

Last February, he presented "The Existence and Initiation of Heroes" at the Plastique Kinetic Worms in Singapore.

While fictional superhero characters are usually noted for feats of courage and nobility, Thaweesak's installation was based on the notion that every man is a hero. He set up a white room with a white plaster dog keeping a watchful eye on a fax machine, a TV monitor screening news and a white scooter ready to be driven on missions.

"I've been working with paintings and I wanted to experiment with a new medium. I incorporated the symbols of superheroes obtained from fiction and cartoons," he says.

While his selection of black acrylics on white canvas reflects his interest in the use of lines, he still holds on dearly to acrylics on vivid patterned fabrics - the style for which he is best known. Only this time he has abandoned messy backdrops and highlights portraits of naked muscular males, big-breasted females and alien-like men - all boasting tiger tattoos.

The work "Kee Ky" features a female fighter with a large tiger tattoo on her chest and smaller tats of Hitler and Che Guevara on her body.

"The tiger is a symbol of courage and self-confidence. Even the thin female boxer in the work 'Tora' has boxing gloves painted with tigers that call for bravery," he says.

And while everyone yearns to be a hero, the exhibition's title suggests that we are all really just flesh and blood.

However, his black-and-white "Fan", showing a round, plain face, would seem to underscore this statement, because according to Buddhist belief everything in life is inevitably transient.

The show continues through June 11. Thavibu Gallery, on the third floor of Silom Galleria, is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 11am to 7pm and on Sunday, from noon to 6pm. For more information, call (02) 266 5454.

Khetsirin Pholdhampalit

The Nation