Thai Artist Wins UOB Painting Award for Copper Wire Work

UOB Thailand awarded the 2026 UOB Painting of the Year top prize to Wirapong Saensomphon for his piece "Memories From the Forest." The distinctive artwork was created by weaving copper wire onto black fabric.

The piece draws inspiration from tree rings, cracks, gaps, and surfaces fused by time, conveying stories of growth, loss, and the traces of time recorded by nature. Richard Maloney, UOB Thailand's Managing Director, said: "This work not only demonstrates exceptional technical skill but also invites viewers to reflect deeply on the meaning of time, change, and the relationship between humans and nature."

Emerging Artist Category Winner

Wirapong receives 750,000 baht and will represent Thailand at the UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year Award 2026, competing against winning artists from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam. He is also eligible for consideration to join an overseas residency and creative program at Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris, France, supported by UOB alongside winning artists from four other Southeast Asian countries.

Professional Artist Category

Wirapong said: "I want to convey how nature records its own stories through growth, wounds, and changes over time. Weaving copper wire on fabric reflects both the strength and fragility of memory, while the gaps appearing in the work resemble periods that may be remembered, fade away, or transform over time. As the landscapes and environments around us continue to change continuously, I hope this work will remind viewers that even if physical places and environments change, the memories and stories left behind still retain value and can endure."

The 2026 judging panel comprised Ammarit Chusuwann, National Artist 2020 in Visual Arts (Painting-Mixed Media), Panya Vijinthanasarn, National Artist in Visual Arts (Painting) 2014, and Dr. Remy Jarry, curator, professor, and distinguished writer.

'Memories From the Forest'

In the Emerging or Amateur Artist category, the work "Life Is Not Certain But Our Death Is Certain" by Watcharapong Si Thieng won the Most Promising Artist of the Year (Thailand) 2026 award. Inspired by the experience of loss and a re-evaluation of the value of an artist's life, it explores the concept of mortality and Buddhist dharma principles through traditional art techniques and abstract symbolism.

Watcharapong said: "This work arose from a period when I had to confront loss, and I used that opportunity to reflect on the truth of life and the impermanence of all things. Inspired by the mindfulness of death and the concept of contemplating life according to Buddhist principles, it helps one see the value and meaning of existence more profoundly. I want to convey the fragility yet preciousness of existence through a work that reflects the natural cycle of life — all things arise, change, and ultimately cease — inviting viewers to pause, reflect, and recognize the value of the present moment."

For other awards in the Professional Artist category, the Gold Medal went to Pattanya Charoensuk for "Evidence of Existence."