Thai artist Padung Prachanan’s art examines the overlap between our inner world and what the artist calls the ”External Area”, often represented in his work as a suspended forest—mysterious, dark and opaque. A place of silence and shadows, this abstract forest emphasises the depth of our ignorance, which like nature’s vastness extends far beyond our imaginings.

 

Human suffering and abandon are recurring themes in Padung’s work, with the darkness of the forest reflecting the darkness and unknown of our minds. He questions the complicated relationship between the space we inhabit and our life and spirit, inviting us to journey from the physicality of our outer space to the terror of our inner instincts. An exploration of the very idea of the human condition and what is inflicted upon others, these paintings offer a powerful analysis of both the disordered instincts of mankind and the mystery of nature.