Thailand’s Spirit Tattoos – two new books

Recently two books, Sacred Tattoos of Thailand and Sacred Skin, have been published on the tattoos of Thailand. These sacred tattoos are called Sak Yant in Thai. It is believed that this ink protects the devoted, enhances strength, removes obstacles and can bring fortune and good luck. Sak Yant is an ancient tradition using images and symbols deeply rooted in Thai culture.

Sacred Tattoos of Thailand by Joe Cummings is the more scholarly of the two volumes. Cummings, who studied Southeast Asian art history and received a master’s degree at the University of California, Berkeley, takes the reader deep into the world of the Sak Yant masters, as well as the people they ink. His academic background is apparent in the depth and organization of the information presented. British photographer Dan White’s pictures perfectly support the text. This comprehensive study is engaging and gives the reader an excellent overview of the subject.

Sacred Skin takes a very different approach to this material. Sacred Skin is an equal collaboration between author Tom Vater and photographer Aroon Thaewchatturat. The seductive and intimate images are as important to this book as the text. While Vater writes about Sak Yant, Thaewchatturat’s portraits show the complexity of an art form that radically transforms those who choose the ink. .

Sacred Tattoos of Thailand and Sacred Skin are both well-conceived books. Each book gives insights to an important cultural tradition that transcends the decorative and holds profound meaning to many Thais.


click here to see the Sacred Tattoos of Thailand web site

click here to see the Sacred Skin website

Joe Morales: Giving Form to Wood – from the Folk Art Messenger, fall/winter 2011

Joe Morales, a New Mexican woodcarver, was not born into a tradition of santeros (saint carvers) nor has he studied with any master artisans. Morales found his direction on his own, looking inward, while at the same time absorbing the vibrant cultural heritage of the Hispanic Southwest.

As a child Morales endured many hardships. His mother died when he was seven years old. From that time on, his personal needs were often neglected. Despite poor vision, he was not given eyeglasses. Unable to see the blackboard in school, he could not fully participate in classroom activities, so he started to draw at his desk. However, his talent was recognized early on, and his drawings were included in student exhibitions at local museums. Encouraged by this response, he carved his first piece of wood when he was just 13 years old.

Today, Morales carves images of historical religious figures whom he admires. Although his works are available for purchase, commercial considerations do not seem important to him. His sculptures are created for the purest of motivations – the pleasure of the artistic process and sharing his vision with others. Every piece reflects this orientation, expressing the sentiments of a man committed to art.

The sculptures created by Morales do not easily fit into the traditional New Mexican carving styles. His work exposes the raw emotions of a passionate artist. While other well-known santeros make objects with formal elegance or folk art-like charm, Morales’s work stands alone. His figures are expressive and heartfelt. His approach to carving is inspired.

Since his late teens, Morales’s son, Joseph Jr., has assisted his father in the workshop. Today they collaborate on each sculpture from concept to completion. Remarkably, they have developed an almost seamless hand, where the contributions of one are indistinguishable from that of the other.

Each year, father and son participate in Santa Fe’s Spanish Market, an important showcase for Hispanic art, and the main venue where their work reaches the public. At Spanish Market collectors come to view new works and visit their favorite artists. Curators and art historians are also in attendance. This event has helped place their work in the homes of private collectors as well as the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe.

The works of the two Moraleses, like the figures carved by santeros 400 years ago, transcend the decorative. They bring form to well-known Biblical subjects. The emotional experience of many who are moved by their sculptures is religious in nature. For generations of carvers in New Mexico, this has been the traditional advocation – the creation of religious figures for the Catholic Church and for its followers.

Today, in a rural setting about 20 minutes from the center of Santa Fe, Morales lives in a large family compound where his children, a grandchild and several great-grandchildren surround him. Often, when he is carving in his workshop, a young great-grandchild is there with him, looking on. The richness of his life is reflected in his sculptures. After a lifetime of carving, the artwork of Joe Morales remains energetic and engaging.

Le Dinh Nghien – the last Hang Trong painter

For generations, residents of Hanoi bought Hang Trong paintings to decorate their homes for Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year). In the past, there were two streets in the old part of the city where artists lived, worked and sold their paintings. Today, there is just one man who carries on this tradition.

Le Dinh Nghien has been making paintings since he was young boy, the only one of his siblings to take on the art of his father. Hang Trong are works on paper that combine woodblock printing and hand painting. When Mr. Nghien creates a piece, he is working with the same woodblock used by his father and by generations of family artists before them.

While Mr. Nghien’s son has expressed an interest in painting, it is not clear if the tradition will continue or if Le Dinh Nghien will, in fact, be the last Hang Trong painter.

For more information on Hang Trong painting, click here

click here to see a video the includes Mr. Nghien

Khoo Kongsi Temple - 36 Celestial Guardians

These images are part of the “36 Celestial Guardians” mural painted on two walls of the Khoo Kongsi clan association temple in the city of Georgetown, Penang Malaysia.

The temple is elaborately embellished with colorful carvings and paintings. Yet these murals have a restraint and directness similar to classical Chinese calligraphy.

click here to visit the Khoo Kongsi clan association temple website