Oil on canvas

225×197 cm. 88 5/8×77 1/2 in.

EXHIBITED
22 Apr – 6 Jun 2010, Clouds: Power of Asian Contemporary Art, Soka Art, Beijing

PROVENANCE
Soka Art, Taipei
Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist and issued by Soka Art, Taipei

Yesterday's Splendour Will Finally Reappear
The Extraordinary Adventures of Natee Utarit

Born in Bangkok in 1970, Utarit developed a strong interest in classical art and the painting language of the Western Renaissance during his studies in painting and sculpture at Silpakorn University in Bangkok from 1987 to 1991. Since his large solo exhibition After Painting at the Singapore Art Museum in 2010, Utarit has skyrocketed to fame. From 2012 to 2013, his series Crisis Paintings, which examines local political events in Thailand, sparked widespread discussion through exhibitions at the Bangkok University Gallery and ARNDT Berlin. From 2016 to 2018, he further solidified his artistic reputation with solo exhibitions "Optimism is Absurd: Altarpiece" at the Ayala Museum in Manila, the National Gallery of Indonesia, and The Private Museum in Singapore. His works have garnered favour among collectors in Eurasia and are part of the collections of institutions such as the Singapore Art Museum, Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum, MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum in Chiang Mai, Queensland Art Gallery in Australia, and the Burger Collection in Hong Kong.

Reflections of Reality: A Pivotal Work of Image Allegory

Completed in 2009, The Dusk of History can be seen as a pivotal work that fully opens up Utarit's "Image Political Allegory." Alongside The Legend of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, which was also created in the same year and is collected by the Singapore Art Museum, it equally inspired the famous Illustration of the Crisis series that he began in 2010. This is particularly evident in the central figure in The Dusk of History, who, holding a pitchfork and wearing overalls, symbolises the identity of the proletariat. This visual language has been carried over into subsequent works in the Illustration of the Crisis series, such as The Dawn of Day, The Classless Society, and 100 Years of Faith and Crisis. As Utarit states, "Showing human behaviour through the objects in the painting is akin to the characters in literary works," placing the protagonist in a series designed like an adventure tale.

A deeper exploration of Utarit's works post-2006 reveals a continuous historical examination. Between 2006 and 2011, Thailand underwent a series of military and political conflicts that induced economic crises, exacerbating tensions among monarchy, military power, and Buddhist beliefs. When historical turning points occur, people often do not realise they are in the midst of them, and Utarit attempts to convey this message to viewers through The Dusk of History.

The Duality of Objects: Dramatic Tension of a Curiosity Cabinet

Within this complex multilayered contemplation, The Dusk of History, completed in 2009, gathers a series of seemingly randomly placed yet metaphorically rich objects, staging a surreal drama. The deer specimen, plaster statue, top hat, shopping bag, and farmer toy model—these are all unique items meticulously chosen and purchased by the artist from antiques, flea markets, and art shops, set upon the artistic stage he constructs. The dramatic tension and atmosphere prompt viewers to recognise that the objects before them are intentionally structured and displayed like a "curiosity cabinet," thus pointing towards hidden meanings beneath the surface. In this, Utarit deepens the precise expression of "the duality of objects" in painting philosophy, bringing inanimate objects to life and showcasing his critical perspective through the blurred boundaries between reality and fiction.

A Modern Interpretation of the Classical through the Lens of Antiquity

17th-century classical still life paintings often hinted at themes through everyday objects, particularly reflecting human contemplation on the meaning of existence—an inspiration for Utarit. In The Dusk of History, the plaster statue of a military figure, the deer representing royalty, the shopping bag symbolising capitalism, and the top hat hanging above appear like mountains, layer upon layer, within the protagonist's field of vision. They all present their backs to the viewer, directly eliminating the traditional opportunity for visual storytelling, and cleverly and subtly pose a series of "unanswerable questions" to the viewer, leaving open the space for interpretation.

In the past, the deer became a popular subject in Baroque still life as "dead game," often appearing in kitchen scenes, symbolising the abundance of hunting spoils. Yet now, it is made into a specimen, referencing the privileges and wealth it represents, as well as the dominion over nature. The plaster statue is portrayed in a military uniform, embodying the figure of a lofty authority, standing with its back to the audience just like the protagonist. Both seem to exist in a complementary and transformative dichotomy. The shopping bag on the right, bearing the letter "an," originates from the artist's The Met series between 2007 and 2008, pointing to consumerism and the discourse power that defines artworks. This ambiguous letter could also reference "Thailand," representing just the tip of the iceberg. The metaphors of military rule, oligarchy, and monarchy resonate with the increasingly prominent social contradictions in Thai society, with the different orientations of the three objects adding depth to the meaning, reflecting similar situations in other corners of the real world. In this way, Utarit leaves the challenge of interpreting the image to the viewer.

A Playful Colour Metaphor: Hope for Tomorrow's World

Moreover, colour is a playful element in Utarit's creative technique. The white, yellow, and blue colour scheme concentrated in The Dusk of History corresponds to religion, monarchy, and the monarchical system in Thai culture. However, paradoxically, modern society generally views blue as representative of the working class and white for the middle class. The protagonist, dressed in blue clothes and yellow shoes, with yellow skin and golden hair, stands on stage, seemingly embodying a contradictory Eastern identity defined under the ideological influence of Western society as it seeks to define its identity and value. Through this, Utarit calls upon viewers to reflect on themselves, using history as a mirror: what has shaped us into who we are today?

Through a narrative rich in allegorical colours and mysterious dramatic tension, Utarit uses his paintings to unlock the hidden national memories, secret emotions, and hopes for the future that lie within each of our "ordinary worlds," waiting for the curtain to rise and revealing today's brilliance, as yesterday's glory will surely reappear.

Price estimate:
HKD 500,000 – 800,000
USD 64,100 – 102,600