Somnuek Klangnok
Artist known as Parn in Bangkok
Firmly in the top echelon of Thailand’s current crop of contemporary artists, Somnuek Klangnok, who produces illustrations and paintings under the name Parn, is known for his unique style, which boasts exaggerated lines and forms in almost caricature-like depictions. He produces his work at his Bangkok apartment, where a small corner of the house is set up as a creative space. “To call it a studio might be overstating things,” he laughs. “But I love this space. I find it very relaxing and I spend much of my time here even when I’m not working. It’s my nest, my place of personal comfort and safety, and if I had to describe it I would say it is like something from Alice in Wonderland— ordered chaos built on streams of vivid imagination.”
The tools of Somnuek’s trade are everywhere—tubes of paint, pots of brushes and canvases galore stacked against walls and on the large wooden table where he paints. What also catches the eye are bright floral arrangements. “I do them myself. Having fresh flowers makes a space livelier,” Klangnok says. “I think it’s important to make your home work area inviting and beautiful because a beautiful space helps to inspire. When I’m here working I play background music on my Bluetooth speakers and it’s like I’m in a cocoon. I can lose hours like that every day.”
Currently preparing to exhibit his latest collection of paintings in New York, although exactly when that will happen depends very much on the pandemic situation, the artist cites a latest personal achievement brought on by the lockdown. “I have been going to bed early and waking up to see the sunrise. I’m a night owl, never have been a morning person, so that’s quite an accomplishment for me,” he laughs.