Angkarn Kalayanapong, the charcoal poet proclaiming poems and moral lessons.

‘ ใครดูถูกดูหมิ่นศิลปะ อนารยะไร้สกุลสถุลสัตว์  

Anyone insulting in art is the beast,

ราวลิงค่างเสือสางกลางป่าชัฏ ใจมืดจัดกว่าน้ำหมึกดำ

Like an evil wild in the deep trees.

เพียงกินนอนสืบพันธุ์นั้นฤา ชื่อว่าสิ่งประเสริฐเลิศล้ำ

Only eating, sleeping, and mating can’t be called a human,

หยาบยโสกักขฬะอธรรม เหยียบย่ำทุกหย่อมหญ้าสาธารณ์

Just called them the impertinent, arrogant, and wicked pervading land.

ภพหน้าอย่ามีรูปมนุษย์ จงผุดเกิดในร่างดิรัจฉาน

Next life, they shouldn’t be human-born but a monster.

หน้าติดดินกินขี้เลื้อยคลาน ทรมานทุกข์ร้อนร้ายนิรันดร์เอยฯ ‘

Face the earth, eat the shit, suffocate savagely forever. 

Astoundingly, after reading, I just felt that I was so lucky that I’ve never looked down on art. Otherwise, I would be cursed to be the shit eater in the wild. The content of this poem is up to date with the dreadful words but conveys a thoughtful message. The poem was penned by Angkarn Kalayanapong, the formidable poet of the Ratanakosin Era who was regarded as a man with high competence in interdisciplinary fields.

Angkarn Kalayanapong, a son of the head of the village in Nakorn Sri Thammarat Province, was born on 13th February 1926. Initially, his dad named him ‘Somprasong’, but, later, his grandmom seized all family power and renamed him as ‘Boonsong’ without reason. He was a feeble boy when he was young. He used to be paralyzed by an unknown symptom which almost caused him to death. Fortunately, the doctor could rescue him, but he had to learn how to walk again with his sickly body.

He started his primary school at Wat Chantaram School and Wat Yai School until he finished grade 4. He, then, moved to Benjamarachutid School, the largest provincial school established in the reign of King Rama the 5th. After his literacy skill had improved, his passion for traditional Thai literature grew up. He was able to memorize and perform various types of Thai poems very well. He was always chosen to be the school representative to present Thai poems in several competitions. Besides, he loved drawing and making sculptures in the forms of temples and pagodas from the sand like what typical children did.

As Angkarn felt enthusiasm in art, not academic subjects, he decided to study at Pohchang Art Academy in Bangkok where he had a chance to learn with the forefront artist of Thailand ‘Chalerm Nakiraks’. At that time, it was The World War 2 period. One day, the Allies fighter jet aimed to drop a bomb at Wat Liab Powerplant and Phra Phuttha Yodfa Bridge, the two important locations in Bangkok, but the jet missed the target. The bomb was dropped into Pohchang Art Academy, instead. This caused everyone to run away for their lives. Some died in the tragic event, but some were lucky enough to save their lives including Angkarn.

He pursued his art passion by entering the faculty painting and sculpture at Silpakorn University in 1945 which was a similar year that Prayura Uluchadha and Paiboon Suwannakudt, the two famous Thai artists, commenced the university life, too. During that time, Prof. Silpa Bhirasri was teaching there, so Angkarn could learn with him directly.

After learning for two years, he got into a brawl with his classmates and quitted from the university accordingly. He had produced some petty artworks or wrote poems for a living since then, but this wasn’t enough. Desperately, he had to stay at the temple or a graveyard and lived on some rotten food. He viewed himself that his life was indifferent to the dust, so he decided to change his name from ‘Boonsong’ to ‘Angkarn’ which meant the ash leftover from the cremation, not the name of the day in a week.

After enlightening himself, he decided to ordain for a period of time until Fua Haripitak, his former professor at Silpakorn University asked him to join the project of The Ancient Thai Art Conservation. Both of them had roamed around Thailand for many years to duplicate the paintings on the walls of the aged temples in several provinces: Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, Petchburee, Kampangpetch, or a small district called Si Satchanalai in Sukhothai Province. The reason underlying this project was to preserve the painting patterns for future restoration. During that time, both almost fell to their death several times while they were working. For example, a prang, a sacredly carved old tall tower at Wat Ratchaburana in Ayutthaya, collapsed unexpectedly after their working. If they stayed underneath a bit longer, they would live like a ghost looking for the old prang and its treasure.

Apart from his notable painting skills, Angkarn together with Fue was granted a chance from the Department of Fine Arts to duplicate a series of long Thai pulp books made during the Ayuthaya period called Traibhumikatha: the story of the three planes of existence which was to be exhibited at Smithsonian Institution Offices in Washinton D.C., the national museum of the USA.

Through his intensive experience in traditional Thai Art conservation along with technique and knowledge derived from Fue, Angkarn had become the unparalleled expert in Thai painting. He could develop his solid background in art to be his unique style of art successfully. He was accounted as a modern Thai artist who didn’t dwell himself in western art. He created his own pattern which was delicately curved from the original Thai art style. His painting style has reflected an awesome contemporary pattern depicted the western art and the Asian style harmoniously. He also specialized in creating a painting with traditional materials: powder coating, gold leaf, and charcoal. His mastery skill in charcoal painting was unbeatable. Some said he could amazingly finish his charcoal scribed drawing in the forms of traditional Thai art within a brief time.

In terms of literature, he could compose poems when he was in secondary school. He took the ancient poems created by legendary poets in the past: Si Prat, Sunthorn Phu, or Thammathibet to be his role models and developed them into his style.

Angkarn always exchanged his thoughts and feelings with other elites. In the past, the meeting place for them situated at the table in Ming Lee Restaurant near Silpakorn University. This could be called ‘The Poet Casino’ where the elites and poets came to interchange their opinions through poem composing. One of the most frequented members was M.C. Chanjirayuvat or Lord Chan who was Angkarn’s close acquaintance. This resulted in changing Angkarn’s name addressing from nothing to Lord Angkarn. However, he was just an ordinary person.

Angkarn was well-known only in Silpakorn University and poet society until he met Sulak Sivaraksa of S. Sivaraksa who was recommended by Aub Sanasen, the eminent artist at that time. Angkarn took Sulak to Ayutthaya where he derived a solid background knowledge about the history and Thai art from Fue. He told a lot of stories relating to the old ruins in that province. As being afraid that his mate would fall into boredom, he further improvised his free verse which impressed Sulak very much. Sulak, one of the greatest writers in Thailand, admitted that Angkarn was a prodigious poem composer, and he felt like giving up his poem writing.

Sulak admired Angkarn’s capability and he published Angkarn’s poems in his magazine ‘The Journal of Social Science’ which he established and edited. The first magazine was launched in the market in 1963. Angkarn’s poems had been published in this magazine resulting in his name became widely known in society. Of course, some praised that his poems were thoughtful while others condemned. His poem was classified as a free verse containing direct punitive phrases together with mind-crunching words. Although most people blamed that his poems were unacceptable and ruthless according to the traditional poem composing rules, he remained nonchalant. He doggedly continued his poem writing with his style to reflect the social problems: the unfairness among the social classes. The less fortunate had to live in despair whereas the privileged could achieve everything they wanted.

His literacy ability was well-known beyond the border despite his hometown’s loathing. One day, Allen Ginsberg, the remarkable modern poet in The US. came to see him and got astonished by the hidden message underlying Angkarn’s poem which was later published in English version under Angkarn’s permission. This time, Angkarn was globally acknowledged.

Not long after, Angkarn won an ‘Asian Sea Write Award’ or ‘The Best Literature Award’ in 1986 from his poem ‘Panitthan Kawee’ (The Poet’s Intention).

In 1989, Angkarn was honored to be a national artist in the field of literature not painting like what I thought. This is because somebody used to propose his painting to me and claimed that Angkarn was the national artist. This made me fall into the misunderstanding for a while that he was awarded for his painting skill. How foolish I was!

Amidst his numerous trophies, Angkarn didn’t regard his feelings to those praiseworthy objects. He opinionated that everyone has to confide his life to virtue, do a good deed, and contribute considerable merit to society. These are the basic duties of humans. Otherwise, he could be criticized that he shouldn’t have been born in the form of a human being as he always searched for happiness and comfort. 

Angkarn always stated that humans liked to define the other destinies to be what they want. For instance, a man destined a flock of ducks to be served in the dish. Nonetheless, most humans have never set their goals in their lives. For Angkarn, his goal was being a poet who weaved his poems to convey the truthful message and elevate the human’s mental being. He spent his life towards his unchanging goal until the 25th of August  2012 which he was decomposed according to the rule of nature. He is still determined to reincarnate to be a poet in the next life, but his poems still fire in the heart of the people.

‘ นิพนธ์กวีไว้เพื่อกู้ วิญญาณ                      The poem aims to rescue the soul

กลางคลื่นกระแสกาล เชี่ยวกล้า                 Amid the enraged oceanic waves

ชีวีนี่มินาน เปลืองเปล่า                          Life doesn’t last long in vain

ใจเปล่งแววทิพย์ท้า ตราบฟ้าดินสลายฯ ‘   My mind echos till earth no more.

Before leaving, I would like to end up with my poem to inspire others to set their goals in their lives.

 ‘ ดันเกิดมาเสพย์ติดศิลปะ                       ไม่ว่าจะภาพสิ่งของคนหรือสัตว์

Felt addicted to art                                No matter any paintings they are

เจอะทีไรใจร้อนรุ่มซื้อรวบรัด                   หน้ามืดจัดกว่าน้ำหมึกดำ

Anytime I found I pay                          Owing to my dark side like an inky drop.

เพียงแขวนบ้านนอนดูเล่นนั้นฤา                ยังไม่ถือเป็นสิ่งประเสริฐล้ำ

Just hung on my wall is not                praiseworthy

ร่วมเผยแพร่เชิดชูสิควรทำ                       บิลด์ให้ล้ำนำหน้าทุกวงการ

To publicly proclaim should be done  To outpace the other circles

ภายภาคหน้าหากมีตังค์เป็นกุรุส                จะอุตลุดสร้างพิพิธภัณฑสถาน

If I were a millionaire next life,             I would have a museum

เพื่อมุ่งหน้าทำตามปณิธาน                      สืบสานศิลป์ไทยให้นิรันดร์เอย ‘

To pursue my goal                               Contribute Thai Art forever.