One block at a time, Rukkit stamps his mark as a top Bangkok muralist

By Porsche Jirapatwong

Jul 19, 2015 | 1:43pm Bangkok time

When the work is wild and weird, we usually assume the same is true of the artist. But despite how peculiar the work of one of Bangkok’s most vivid talents today may be, Rukkit Kuanhawate is a surprisingly down-to-earth dude.

Rukkit, 37 of Songkhla, is a Bangkok-based graphic designer and street artist. His mind-blowing works of figurative images are stenciled out block-by-block in his own signature technique.

In bold colors, crosshatched with geometric patterns and devices, his work fixates on animal forms such as deers, birds and tigers. No people.

“If I had to do human portraits, I would feel unease trying to make the portraits look alike to the real person. Plus, I have done animal portraits many times that I learned to improvise them.”

Mural at Int Intersect Shopping Mall Rama III Road, Bangkok, 2015

Buk Ruk Festival, Bangkok, 2013 (10 minute walk from BTS Ratchathewi)

HKN Newlook by P7, MMFK, Rukkit, Bangkok

He works from their similar elements to craft new forms.

“All animals have some characteristics which are identical to each other. For example, animals like tigers, cats, bears, or lions have ears that are very close to each other; so, by altering its ear slightly, the whole image can be changed to another animal” he explained.

Be@rbrick x Rukkit for BWWT 2, Bangkok, 2015

Wonderfruit Festival, Chonburi, 2014

Each captures a moment: the artist’s emotions and interests at the time, as well as Rukkit’s feelings about where they are painted.

“Though my paintings are not considered philosophical or give life lessons, the viewer’s job is to discover what are in them,” he said. “It can be my experiences, skills and feelings which all combine to be who I really am at the moment.”

When Bangkok’s Buk Ruk Street Art Festival was first held in 2013, Rukkit was among its featured “emerging” artists. Buk Ruk organizer Nicolas Dali said he represents the new art scene in Thailand.

“He’s got a very bold and unique style,” Dali said. “Probably more a graphic designer’s or illustrator’s approach than that of a street artist, which is what we wanted, as street art is not only about graffiti.”

After seeing his paintings, one would assume his life and mind are complex places of torment and mad genius. But, the very plainspoken Rukkit’s story and inspiration are that of a hard-working artist dedicated to craft.

“Apart from sports, art is the only thing I’m good at.” he laughed.

Rukkit’s started stamping out his own identity with his “one block stencil” technique, in which the component pieces of the mural are sprayed one at a time.

It was after art school that a turning point came for Rukkit. About seven years ago an elite street artist called P7 invited him to paint.

“It was something unexpected. P invited me to paint a wall. Since I am a kind of person who always grabs every opportunity, especially something I have not tried before, I couldn’t miss this one.”

His first artistic priority was to not suck.

“At first, all I thought was don’t make it turn out too bad!” he said.

That debut mural is long gone and unfortunately there’s no record of it.

After years of hard work, Rukkit started being recognized nationally and internationally. Soon he was being invited to paint abroad and has since painted in Japan, South Korea, India and Hong Kong.

Asked about his next aim after moving up to an international stage, he said he’s focused on his painting, one wall at a time.

“I have not thought about it before, until now. I just give everything I got into every single work, and that hard work will pay off in the future, I suppose.”