Botanical Art Worldwide 2025
Thailand
Suvarnabhumi Heritage Crops
About
Suvarnabhumi — literally "Golden Land" — believed to encompass modern-day Southeast Asia. It is a region of abundant tropical and subtropical lands, now often referred to as the world's kitchen. Situated at its heart, Thailand boasts a rich agricultural heritage cultivated over centuries. “The Botanical Art Worldwide 2025 Thailand Exhibition: Suvarnabhumi Heritage Crops” will showcase this legacy through illustrations of ancient domesticated plants. From staple foods like rice, sugarcane and yams to a bounty of fruits including durians, coconuts, mangosteen, and bananas, as well as an array of medicinal herbs and spices, the exhibition will highlight Thailand's diverse botanical treasures, grown in this area for more than half a century. Beyond sustenance, these heritage crops also encompassed plants for dyes, energy, textiles, and shelters, such as indigo, bamboo, hemp and teak.
Left: Purple fruited pea eggplant (Solanum trilobatum L.) Solanaceae
This tiny fruit eggplant is called “Mawang” in Thai and is commonly used in traditional medicine to alleviate sore throat and cough symptoms.
Watercolor 42x30 cm by Orawan Sungwornveshapan
Right: Vine spinach (Basella alba L.) Basellaceae
Vine spinach, distributed in Southeast Asia and India, is traditionally used as a boiled vegetable and also for the cure of skin diseases, digestive disorders and many other symptoms.
Watercolor 42x29.7 cm by Vachirawin Kanampornpan
Organizers
Sci-Art Network in collaboration with Mahidol University, Botanical Society under HM Queen Sirikit Patronage, Plant Genetic Resource Conservation Project Under the Royal Initiative of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Muban Chombueng Rajabhat University, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
Steering Committee
Phansakdi Chakkaphak (Advisor)
Thaya Jenjittikul, Assistant Professor, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Sasivimon Chomchalow Swangpol, Assistant Professor, Ph.D. (Chair)
Chaiwat Kunpanichanan (Co-Chair)
Narongsak Sukkaewmanee, Assistant Professor (Co-Chair)
Unchera Viboonjun, Assistant Professor, Ph.D. (Member)
Pramote Triboun, Ph.D. (Member)
Orawan Sungwornveshapan (Member)
Kant Rattanajul (Member)
Mallika Choasakul (Member)
Penpaka Trato (Member)
Asama Loharnchoon (Member)
Jurors
Sasivimon Chomchalow Swangpol, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Department of Plant Science, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, President of Sci-Art Network for Natural Science Illustrators;
Phansakdi Chakkaphak, Master Botanical Artist, Sci-Art Network for Natural Science Illustrators;
Thaya Jenjittikul, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Department of Plant Science, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University;
Pramote Triboun, Ph.D., National Biobank of Thailand (NBT), National Science and Technology Development Agency
Narongsak Sukkaewmanee, Assistant Professor, Art Education Section, Faculty of Anthropology and Social Science, Muban Chombueng Rajabhat University
Venue
Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC)
939 Rama I Rd, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, THAILAND
Dates
May 2025 (2 weeks, exact dates yet to be confirmed )
More Information and Call for Entries
https://plantscience.sc.mahidol.ac.th/
Botanical Art Worldwide 2018
Thailand Edition - Linking People with Plants Through Botanical Art
About this Exhibition
Thai artists, under the umbrella of Mahidol University, Bangkok and Sci-Art Network of Thailand, as well as the Plant Genetic Conservation Project under the Royal Initiative of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, have created depictions of some of the fascinating native plants of Thailand for this exhibition. The renowned botanical artist Mr. Phansakdi Chakkaphak will serve as special advisor. Artworks have been selected, and the exhibition will be on view at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre from May 15 - May 27, 2018. The exhibition opening ceremony will be presided over by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. Updates are posted on Sci-Art Network's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SciArtNetwork/
artwork
Paphiopedilum exul was first described as in 1891 as a variety of Cypripedium insigne, and it was transferred into Paphiopedilum in 1896. In the wild it is often found on rock cliffs or in pockets in rocks filled with humus, growing in full sun or light shade, with high humidity and temperatures rarely dropping below 70F. The illustrator, Sunitsorn Pimpasalee, has captured its shape and habit beautifully in this watercolor painting.
Paphiopedilum exul, watercolor on paper, Sunitsorn Pimpasalee ©Department of Plant Science, Mahidol University
Musa nanensis, watercolor on paper, Narongsak Sukkaewmanee ©Narongsak Sukkaewmanee, Muban Chombueng Rajabhat University
This banana species from Thailand is known from only a single location in Nan Province. It was newly discovered, and described in 2015 in the journal Systematic Botany by Dr. Sasivimon Chomchalow Swangpol et al. This illustration by Narongsak Sukkaewmanee depicts fully formed fruits and flowers in the foreground, as well as developing fruits and flowers in atmospheric perspective.
Artists and organizers with Mahidol University and Sci-Art Network gather to discuss details of Thailand’s exhibition for Botanical Art Worldwide.
Photo courtesy Pisit Hongsakornprasert.
Organizers
Department of Plant Science, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok and Sci-Art Network
Steering Committee
Sasivimon C. Swangpol, PhD
Thaya Jenjittikul, PhD
exhibition Venue
Bangkok Art and Culture Center
Location
Bangkok Art and Culture Center