Thai textile artist who weaves social commentary into colourful works that belie their serious message has retrospective at Chat in Hong Kong

Brightly coloured and accessible, Jakkai Siributr’s art, on show in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong, contains powerful messages about gender, identity and equality

Wall hangings in deceptively soft tones depict victims of homophobic violence; patchwork art made with refugee children reflects the pain of losing their homes

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“We Will Not Be Erased”, a 2019 work by Thai artist Jakkai Siributr, on loan from the Sunpride Foundation, that depicts gay activist victims of homophobic violence. It is part of Jakkai’s retrospective on show at Chat in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong. Photo: courtesy Chat

Published: 11:15am, 20 Nov 2023Updated: 11:17am, 20 Nov 2023

For art that is stunning, unusual, and strongly connected to social issues, head over to the Centre for Heritage Arts & Textile (Chat) in Tsuen Wan in Hong Kong’s New Territories to see a retrospective of Thai textile artist Jakkai Siributr.

Titled “Everybody Wanna Be Happy”, this is a showcase of two decades of Jakkai’s fine textile works that reveal the evolution of the 54-year-old Bangkok native as an artist and social commentator.

Jakkai has been using the medium of embroidery to engage with themes that exert a significant influence on Thai society.

His political awakening happened in 2006 when the military junta overthrew the elected government in Thailand, but the real catalyst for his political work stems from the growing polarisation between Thais, he says.

“There’s No Place”, a series of embroidered cloth panels and patchworks Jakkai Siributr produced in 2023 in collaboration with children and adults from displaced communities in Thailand. Photo: courtesy of Chat

The bright colours and accessibility of his works belie the heaviness of the subject matter – he makes wearables such as upcycled military jackets embroidered with political messages, for example.