Inspired by the classic fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz by L. Frank Baum, the art exhibition "A Journey Without A Map" showcases art created by 10 young artists. As Dorothy, the main character in The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz, was swept away by a tornado which led her on an unpredictable journey, the exhibition allowed artists to express Dorothy's journey through artwork in their own way.
Life spoke to three promising artists from the exhibition -- Nichaporn Jirapongsananuruk, aka Pi-near; Atakan Joysiri, aka Little Theatre; and Thanida Panbanphaew, aka Thani. The trio stand out for their talent and interpretation of Dorothy's journey in a meaningful and captivating way.
Nichaporn Jirapongsananuruk
Nichaporn earned her Bachelor's degree from the Communication Design programme at the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, so she was interested in graphic design and filmmaking. However, in her third year, Nichaporn had the opportunity to participate in an exchange programme at an art institute in Belgium for six months. It was an eye-opening experience which allowed her to discover her passion for art and her own style.
Nichaporn Jirapongsananuruk with Toward The Unknown, top, and In The Silent, bottom left. (Photo courtesy of River City Bangkok)
In the early years, her artwork was often in black and white, but during her stint in Belgium Nichaporn created a daily visual diary. These daily drawings allowed her to record fine details and capture stories through images and colours. This became the starting point for her current work which elaborately features a rich colour palette and interprets narratives into art.
Nichaporn created three acrylic paintings: Toward The Unknown, In The Silent and The First Light for "A Journey Without A Map". The paintings were inspired by her experience as an artist-in-residence in Narita, Japan, under the Fuwari no Mori programme.
Toward The Unknown and The First Light depict a girl riding a bicycle amidst a beautiful natural scenery. In The Silent captures a girl leaning against a tree and taking a nap surrounded by nature. Nearby the girl is a scarecrow and in front of her is a pond full of ducks.
"I stayed in a rural area in Narita, so travelling to my destination took many hours. These paintings are intended to tell viewers to enjoy journeys. There are times when we do not have to be in a hurry to reach our destination. We can take a break to relax and listen to what our heart tells us. The First Light is the conclusion of this collection which is about the value of travel. Even without knowing what lies ahead, there is still hope. The sun in the painting can represent the sunrise or sunset depending on interpretation."
Thanida Panbanphaew
Thanida graduated from the Faculty of Decorative Arts at Silpakorn University and is now a graphic designer who spends her free time painting and posting on Instagram. She revealed that drawing helps her release stress.
Thanida Panbanphaew with Watcher, left, and Walking In The Shoes.
Her paintings portray a young woman in various moods incorporated with whimsical and fanciful elements. Her remarkable skills attracted the attention of Kich Gallery, which supported her first solo exhibition "Layers Of Life" in 2025. The success of the exhibition helped boost Thanida's confidence in her ability.
The painting In Denial depicts a young woman hugging a stuffed doll on a bed which is floating to the window. There is a chair, a candlestick and a jar floating around the bed. Thanida explained that the painting was inspired by a bad day when she needed to sleep to regain energy for the next day.
Watcher portrays a sitting scarecrow clutching two ears of corn while one crow is eating the corn and two other are moving closer. This illustration was inspired by an event when Thanida was cheated on by her boyfriend of seven years. Thanida compares herself to a brainless scarecrow trying to protect the corns which represent her boyfriend. While she turned a blind eye and made excuses for her boyfriend, the crow, or another girl, got him.
Walking In The Shoes focuses on a girl's shoes, surrounded by characters from The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz in tiny size. Thanida explained that this painting depicts her imagination of being in Dorothy's shoes.
Thanida specialises in working on tight deadlines and she completed these three paintings in a little over a month. Walking In The Shoes received compliments from the exhibition team which left her overwhelmed and teary-eyed. Working a full-time job and also painting is challenging, but she has no regrets doing both.
"I spend my free time painting and although it can be quite tiring, I do not regret doing so. I give my all to everything I do. If I keep doing my best, it should lead to a better future."
Atakan Joysiri
Atakan is a designer at the art department of Bookscape, an independent publishing house. She specialises in capturing the essence of a book and creating an illustration cover for it. Atakan explained that the secret of her success is reading the introduction and conclusion and then discussing with the editor to capture the book's theme before creating a visual cover. Her work is vibrant with vivid colours and has an enchanting, easy-to-comprehend appeal.
Atakan Joysiri.
As a book cover illustrator, Atakan created a storyline for each of her paintings and all three are about facing difficulties. Behind The Veil Of Illusion depicts a young woman walking towards a green emerald castle painted on a curtain and behind the curtain is a sinister forest. Atakan explained that Behind The Veil Of Illusion depicts the story of how people picture a beautiful dream, but the reality is different.
"Although the reality is not what they expect, people grow from facing challenges," she said.
Ready To Face The Storm illustrates a house floating in the sky like a hot air balloon while Between Shadow and Dawn captures the moment of a girl travelling with a dog in a dark jungle.
"Ready To Face The Storm was inspired by The Wizard Of Oz where Dorothy is swept to an unfamiliar place by a tornado. The painting portrays a new perspective on how to deal with difficulties. When the house was carried away by the tornado, I added a basket to the house to resemble a hot air balloon. In this way, I can be ready to face the tornado," said Atakan.
"Between Shadow And Dawn portrays the fact that if we are mentally prepared to face challenges, there will be a shining light in the darkness."
Atakan hopes that people will have the opportunity to experience this exhibition.
"I hope everyone has a chance to view the exhibition for themselves, so that they can see how each artist communicates, how each overcomes difficulties and how he/she navigates their journey."
"A Journey Without A Map" runs at RCB Galleria 1, 2nd floor of River City Bangkok, until May 31. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/RiverCityBangkok.
