FROM DUSK TILL DRAWN: Comics Art Studies and Graphic Narratives Composition, Workshops, Events & Zine Publishing @ Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University [Bangkok – THAILAND]
I’m pleased to announce the online seminar “GRAPHIC NON-FICTION IN ASIA: THE ROAD AHEAD”, a roundtable with comics creators and editors from South and Southeast Asia to discuss their works and the challenges they face in their respective countries. Guest speakers: Bambi Eloriaga-Amago [Philippines], Charis Loke [Malaysia], Sreejita Biswas (Solo) [India], Tanis Werasakwong (Sa-ard) [Thailand] and Adoor Yeh [Taiwan], and moderated by yours truly. On Thursday November 25th, 2021, 4PM (GMT+7) [2:30PM Delhi; 4PM Bangkok; 5PM KUL, MLA & TPE]. Seminar duration: 2 hours. Organized by the National Research Council of Thailand and the Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University. Inscription to the Zoom session via this link: https://forms.gle/5Gzw3eqpMwqQ2qkMA [Poster illustration from “taskun mudaan” by Adoor Yeh, 慢工出版 Slowork Publishing, 2021]
DC NAROK: Collective Hellxibition poster by Philippine artist Louie Cordero
Here are the first pictures of Thailand’s Krasue [กระสือ] ghost-witch and of vintage “one-baht ghost comics” displayed at the international DC NAROK : COLLECTIVE HELLXIBITION in Marseille, France. My thanks to our fresh.wo.men students at the Faculty of Communication Arts (International Program, Chulalongkorn University) for their assistance. As part of our “Thai Culture for Communication” course, students translated and composed subtitles for Thai director Santi Taepanich’s 40-minute documentary “ไอ้ผีเล่มละบาท: Damn Ghost Comics” screened during the exhibition (and also available online). The documentary explores the massive -and disregarded yet highly relevant- horror comics production in Thailand from the mid-1970s onward, as well as the precarious status of its pioneering creators.
Thai cartoonist Dan Sudsakorn: “Will there be enough to eat?”.
Students also composed biographies of the exhibited Thai artists. It is also a first international collaboration with our Thai Comics Archives; lending 40 vintage KatunLemLaBaht (one-baht comics), two original artworks and a papier-mâché sculpture by Ajarn Tode Kosumphisai as well as selecting artworks by Ajarn Tawee Witsanukorn, Bangchong Kongjak, Orn (Apichat), Chatree Sungwornsilp or Jeard Mahaked for wall projections. Original covers by Dan Sudsakorn were also lended by Myrtille Tibayrenc.
Phi Krasue sculpture by Ajarn Tode Kosumphisai (pic cr. Pakito Bolino).Original artworks and vintage comics by Ajarn Tode Kosumphisai (pic cr. Pakito Bolino).Original cover art by Dan Sudsakorn (pic cr. Pakito Bolino).Phi Krasue sculpture by Ajarn Tode Kosumphisai and screening of Santi Taepanich’s documentary (pic cr. Pakito Bolino).
The exhibition gathers the works of 50 international artists exhibited on 600 sqm, exploring the Thai/Buddhist Hell [นรก] Gardens [see “Wang Saen Suk Hell Garden” and Stephen Bessac’s Narok monograph). With thanks to Pakito Bolino, Le Dernier Cri, Benrisa Yencham and PaX Atakito.
DC NAROK : COLLECTIVE HELLXIBITION at La Friche la Belle de Mai, Marseille, France; November 13, 2021-February 13, 2022.
DC NAROK : COLLECTIVE HELLXIBITION. Pic credit: Hadrien Alvarez
February 03, 2020. An honour and a delight to welcome our first guest of the semester for the “Graphic Non-Fiction” (autobio/documentary comics) course at the Faculty of Communication Arts (Chulalongkorn University): French cartoonist Freddy Nadolny Poustochkine! We talked Time, Space, the Fabric/Material of Memory and Comics Art in his creative process from his autobiographical comics La chair des pommes(ego comme x) to his Cambodia-set La colline empoisonnée (Futuropolis) and his ongoing project; and of the seminal importance of (his) sketchbooks. After an intro -by yours truly- on the interplay of Time & Space in comics by Richard McGuire, Lilli Carré, Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons & Rick Veitch, Frank Miller, Kevin Huizenga, Chris Ware, Art Spiegelman, Matt Madden, Nick Sousanis and Kiriko Nananan. Three challenging but captivating hours! Merci Freddy!
French cartoonist Freddy Nadolny Poustochkine with the students of the International Program in Communication Management, Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University.
Guest talk with French cartoonist Freddy Nadolny Poustochkine
Bangkok, 11 February 2020. This semester for the “Imaginative Media: [How to Tell the Unutterable]” course at the Faculty of Communication Arts (Chulalongkorn University), our distinguished guest is khun Nana Wipaphan Wongsawang, founder of the Thai Consent platform which aims at providing [testimonial and illustrated] references for victims of sexual abuse who need useful materials to understand themselves better. An inspiring & challenging talk on the critical issues of sexual abuse, rape culture, consent and representation. After studying the mechanisms of Psychic Trauma and its depictions in tv series, movies, choreographies or graphic novels, our students will compose trauma-related short comics [or #Traumics] on sexual abuse, and will present them to khun Nana in a month. Later, students will also propose various [innovative] campaign ideas to promote & support the Thai Consent platform.
Also on FaceBook: Thai Consent
Thank you/merci/khopkhunkhrap khun Nana!
Khun Nana Wipaphan Wongsawang, founder of the Thai Consent platform, with the students of the International Program in Communication Management, Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University.
Khun Nana Wipaphan Wongsawang, founder of the Thai Consent platform, discussing issues of representation.
It was a challenging but wonderful 4-hour workshop on “Polyptych Constrained Comics” in Taipei with amazing Taiwanese and Malaysian cartoonists on Sunday, 22 September 2019. They did great on one of the most complex comics structure [where narrative sequences unfold on a continuous background]. It was such a pleasure to work and share with these talented folks! Thank you all for participating, Huang Pei-Shan and Slowork Publishing for the invitation, Carole Wenyao for translating, and ASW Tea House for hosting!
It was an honor and a pleasure to visit the prestigious National University of Singapore with khun Cue and 15 junior students in the International Program of Communication Management (Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkorn University), and to give a short lecture on the development of Thai Comics during the first half of the 20th century. Our warm thanks to our host Associate Professor Dr. Ian Gordon, Head of the Department of History (NUS), and to Associate Professor Dr. Titima Suthiwan, Director of the Centre for Language Studies (NUS). We also want to thank Singaporean comics scholar Lim Cheng Tju for his presentation on “Consumption of Manga and Anime in Singapore”! Glad we were able to share perspectives on South-East Asian Comics, Manga and… Superman (as Dr. Ian Gordon is the author of Superman: The Persistence of an American Icon)!
Singaporean comics scholar Lim Cheng Tju holding his presentation on “Consumption of Manga and Anime in Singapore”.
Yours truly introducing CommArts “Graphic Writing” course to our hosts.
Slide from the presentation on Thai Comics (and localized American superheroes).
Discussion with Associate Professor Dr. Ian Gordon, Head of the Department of History (NUS).
This faculty field trip also gave me the opportunity to prepare our CommArts students for next semester’s Creative/Graphic Writing for Printed Matter course! Comics Shopping Day in Singapore!
Comics Shopping Day in Singapore; at GnB Comics, at Comics World, and at Kinokuniya.
Comics Shopping Day in Singapore; at GnB Comics, at Comics World, and at Kinokuniya.
Comics Shopping Day in Singapore; at GnB Comics, at Comics World, and at Kinokuniya.
Singaporean purchase: “Black Hammer tpb #1” (because Luc Brunschwig says it’s good), Thai Comics “The Sister’s Luck” by Shari Chankhamma, Anders Nilsen’s “Wolverine” (in “The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl – Zine Issue”), and “Superman: The Persistence of an American Icon” by Ian Gordon (thank you, Ian, for the gift).
A week before the field trip, great discussion at CommArts on Thai, Singaporean and ASEAN comics & cartoons with Lim Cheng Tju and CommArts alumnus Albert Potjes!
Thai Comics (comic books & rare original artworks) are on display at theMangasia: Wonderlands of Asian Comics exhibition, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome, Italy. Curated by Paul Gravett and a team of over twenty advisors, and developed by The Barbican Centre, the 5-year world-touring exhibition presents the largest ever selection of original artworks from Asian comics. For the first time at an international level, Thai Comics are well represented; original artworks from Thai master cartoonists p’Tawee Witsanukorn (and classic 5-baht ghost comic books of Krasue Sao, 1968), p’Raj Lersroung (Singh Dam), p’Padung “Aoh” Kraisri (Noo-Hin), and p’Suttichart Sarapaiwanich (Joe the Sea-Cret Agent); comic books by p’Hem Vejakorn (Ngo Paa), p’Sawas Jutharop (Phra Apai Manee), p’Pakdee “Tai” Santaweesuk (PangPond); issues of the famous KaiHuaRoh magazine; rare issues of “one-baht comics”; as well as various video clips (Noo-Hin: The Movie, Noo-Hin animated clip, Joe the Sea-Cret Agentanimated clip). My heartfelt thanks to Paul, the Barbican Center, and all the Thai publishers and artists involved in this meaningful project. Special thanks to Chulalongkorn University students Birdme, Suttiarpa and Kaikaew for your invaluable assistance; I could not have fulfilled my role of “advisor on Thai Comics” without your help! Aj. Nicolas Verstappen
Rare original artwork & classic 5-baht ghost comic books of Krasue Sao (1968) by Thai master cartoonists p’Tawee Witsanukorn (ทวี วิษณุกร). Mangasia exhibition (Rome, Italy).
“From left to right: Thai cartoonist p’Tawee Witsanukorn’s Krasue Sao original artwork, Azisa Noor‘s Kalasandhi, the Krasue Sao collection, four Thai one-baht horror/folklore comics, a page of artwork from Al Sanchez for the Filipino comic Maling Akala, five-baht comics of Krasue Sao#1 and lastly Daijiro Morohoshi’s Mud Men“. Mangasia: Wonderlands of Asian Comics exhibition, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome, Italy. Picture credit: Paolo Darra.
First issue of the classic 5-baht ghost comic book series Krasue Sao (1968) by Thai master cartoonists p’Tawee Witsanukorn on display at the Mangasia: Wonderlands of Asian Comics exhibition, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome, Italy. Picture credit: Hashimoto Izumi.
“From top to bottom: Eldo Yoshimizu‘s Ryuko artworks, and Thai cartoonist Raj Lersroung’s Singh Damartworks (commission for Somboon Hormtientong‘s exhibition).” Mangasia: Wonderlands of Asian Comics exhibition, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome, Italy. Photo credit: Paolo Darra.
Two original pages of the classic adventure comics series Singh Dam (“สิงห์ดำ”, 1960s and 2013) by Thai master cartoonist p’Raj Lersroung (ราช เลอสรวง) on display at the Mangasia: Wonderlands of Asian Comics exhibition, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome, Italy. Picture credit: @diegotheghostt.
Original Noo-Hin cover art by p’Padung “Aoh” Kraisri, published by ขายหัวเราะ (KaiHuaRoh magazine, Banluesarn). Mangasia exhibition (Rome, Italy). Picture credit: Daruma View.
Clip of Noo-Hin: The Movie(top right). Mangasia exhibition (Rome, Italy). Screenshot from a video by Daruma View.
“From left to right: Jim Fernandez artwork for Casa Negra, Thai cartoonist Sawas Jutharop’s adaptation of Phra AphaiManee, Thai one-baht sleep rape comic, and Indonesian Neraka’ hell comic.” Mangasia: Wonderlands of Asian Comics exhibition, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome, Italy. Picture credit: Paolo Darra.
Cover of Lorina Mapa’s graphic memoir “Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me”.
Filipino Canadian cartoonistLorina Mapa, author of the graphic memoir Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me, was a guest at the Bangkok Edge Festival 2018, with the participation of the Embassy of Canada to Thailand. On Saturday 20, the artist gave an delightful and interesting public talk on her work, and held a comics workshop on Sunday 21. The Embassy of Canada to Thailand opened extra seats for my students (CommDe & CommArts, Chulalongkorn University) who wished to take part in the (fully booked) workshop (KhopKhunMakKhrap khun Noppawan!)
My warmest thanks to Lorina Mapa, the Bangkok Egde Festival, and the Embassy of Canada to Thailand!
Lorina Mapa’s public talk. Bangkok Edge Festival, January 20, 2018.
After Lorina Mapa’s talk on her graphic memoir, a Thai monk asked the artist a few questions. The first one was on how her drawn memories related to, and maybe enhanced, the vividness of her actual memories. An interesting question, as I sense more and more that the Buddhist notion of “sati” (“mindfulness”) and graphic memoirs might have a lot in common, being both “recollections in praesentia”… A question to further explore… Bangkok Edge Festival, January 20, 2018.
Mise en abyme. CommDe sophomore student Pin (foreground) reads Filipino Canadian cartoonist Lorina Mapa’s graphic memoir “Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me”. Meanwhile, Lorina Mapa (background) reads the comics zine Bang Bang You’re Deadgathering collaborative stories by CommArts Thai students and European cartoonists… Bangkok Edge Festival, January 21, 2018.Lorina Mapa’s comics workshop; comics composition. Art by CommDe ajarn Oat Montien (foreground), and CommDe sophomore student Pin drawing (background). Bangkok Edge Festival, January 21, 2018.Lorina Mapa’s comics workshop; comics composition. Art by CommDe sophomore student MedFai. Bangkok Edge Festival, January 21, 2018.Lorina Mapa’s comics workshop; depicting emotions. From left to right; CommDe ajarn Oat Montien, Lorina Mapa (background), and CommDe sophomore students Pin and MedFai. Bangkok Edge Festival, January 21, 2018.Lorina Mapa’s comics workshop; depicting emotions. Sketches by CommDe ajarn Oat Montien. Bangkok Edge Festival, January 21, 2018.Lorina Mapa’s comics workshop; comics composition. CommDe sophomore students Pin (center) and MedFai (right). Bangkok Edge Festival, January 21, 2018.Lorina Mapa’s comics workshop; depicting emotions. Bangkok Edge Festival, January 21, 2018.
It was a pleasure and honour to meet Professor Lee Jungmin, Course Director of the Department of Animation (and Comics/Manhwa) at the prestigious Korea National University of Arts (K’ARTS), during our Faculty Seminar. With a private tour of the Department, and a quick look at the students’ animation screenings! Thank you so much! 고맙습니다! Eager to meet you again soon! Aj. Nicolas
Screenings of animation projects by K’Arts students.
Screenings of animation projects by K’Arts students.
Screenings of animation projects by K’Arts students.
Screenings of animation projects by K’Arts students.
During our 5-day field trip in Tokyo with coordinator P’Pum and 17 students of the Faculty of Communication Arts (International Program, Chulalongkorn University), we were welcomed by the prestigious Gakushuin University (Tokyo, Japan) to hold a lecture on the History of Thai Comics.
The lecture at Gakushuin University (Tokyo) was titled “When Manga, Franco-Belgian and American Comics Collide; Or the Genesis of Thai Alternative Comics.” It focused on presenting why I consider that the composite style of Thai pioneering alternative cartoonist Suttichart Sarapaiwanich on the series “Joe the Sea-Cret agent” is concurrently at the crossroads of American, Japanese and Franco-Belgian comics traditions and yet a remarkable artistic expression of ‘Thainess’ (and of the globalized and eclectic modern Thai way-of-life in the aftermath of the Tom Yum Goong crisis).
Following Professor Natsume Fusanosuke-sensei to a beautiful building of the prestigious Gakushuin University, Tokyo.
“Konban-wa. Gakushuin Daigaku no minasama, Fusanosuke Natsume-sensei, Shiina Yukari-san, soshite Kensuke Noda-san, konkai no event o kaisai site kudasari. Watashi, Pum-san to Thai no gakusei nittote, totemo kouei na koto desu. Arigato gozaimasu”. My heartfelt thanks again to Gakushuin University for the warm welcome, to Natsume-sensei for the invitation, to Yukari-san for translating my messy sentences, and to Yukari-san & Kensuke-san for the organization! It’s been a wonderful evening! And Arigato gozaimasu Watanabe Kanako-san for the text in Japanese! ありがとうございました! Photo by P’Pum.
Thai comics (Suttichart Sarapaiwanich & “JOE the SeaCret Agent”, 1998). Photo by Yanner Chen.
Presenting the work of highly influential Thai cartoonist Eakasit Thairaat. Photo by Note.
So tired… Can’t understand Natsume-sensei questions anymore… Sumimasen!!! Photo by Note.
Delicious buffet organized by Gakushuin University after the lecture for all our CommArts students and attending audience. And honor, again, to be invited, to meet and to discuss with Natsume-sensei! ありがとうございました! KANPAÏ! Photo by P’Pum.
ありがとうございました! KANPAÏ!
Deeply honored to meet and discuss with Ono Kosei-sensei, a leading authority in Manga, Comics and Film criticism! ありがとうございました
![20180121_212708[1]](https://fromdusktilldrawnblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/20180121_2127081.jpg)
![20180121_212253[1]](https://fromdusktilldrawnblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/20180121_2122531.jpg)
![013[1]](https://fromdusktilldrawnblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/0131.jpg)
![014[1]](https://fromdusktilldrawnblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/0141.jpg)
![20180121_211605[1]](https://fromdusktilldrawnblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/20180121_2116051.jpg)
![20180121_213239[1]](https://fromdusktilldrawnblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/20180121_2132391.jpg)
![20180121_211503[1]](https://fromdusktilldrawnblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/20180121_2115031.jpg)
![20180121_212919[1]](https://fromdusktilldrawnblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/20180121_2129191.jpg)
![017[1]](https://fromdusktilldrawnblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/0171.jpg)
![20180121_212447[1]](https://fromdusktilldrawnblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/20180121_2124471.jpg)
![018[1]](https://fromdusktilldrawnblog.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/0181.jpg)
from-dusk-till-drawn.com 