Thai, born 1956
325 Ekamai Soi 17
Sukhumvit Soi 63
North Klongton, Wattana
Bangkok 10110, Thailand
e-mail: wasiksiridow@hotmail.com
Son of a Thai diplomat, Wasiksiri spent his childhood in different Western countries, according to where his father was posted. This multi-cultural experience has enabled Wasiksiri to view own country and people with a dual insider-outsider perspective.
EDUCATION
Wasiksiri attended school in Canberra, Australia, from 1963-1965. He then moved to Wellington, New Zealand, where he finished high school, and in 1974 studied architectural draughting for two years at Wellington Polytechnic.
New Zealand is where Wasiksiri took interest in photography at age the age of 13. He started out by photographing people and pop culture, which have remained his principal subjects of interest ever since.
In 1976 at age 20, Wasiksiri moved to Los Angeles. He attended Los Angeles City College, where he was on the Dean’s honor list, and graduated in 1978 with an Associate in Arts degree in Film and Photography. In 1979 he took a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio and Television Broadcasting at California State University, Los Angeles, graduating in 1981.
PHOTOGRAPHIC CAREER
Returning to Thailand in 1983, Wasiksiri has been based ever since in Bangkok.
He started his career as a professional photographer by shooting for well-known fashion magazines. His new wave style at that time created quiet a stir in the fashion industry. As well as lighting his models using a colored gel filter, he shot with underexposed tungsten film in the pale light before sunrise to created a saturated bluish effect.
Wasiksiri was also recognised as one of the first Thai photographers to seriously explore his inner psyche and transfer those ideas into surreal photographs. Among his most celebrated series were ‘Composition red (red rock)’ (1982), ’Mysterious shells’ (1993), and ‘Dreams of lost childhood’ (1995).
Wasiksiri founded his own studio, Persona, 25 years ago and has been doing commercial photography ever since. With his distinctive style Wasiksiri is always in demand, shooting for both local and international clients. Meanwhile, Wasiksiri still finds time to do street photography, focusing mainly on Thailand.
He has had many solo and group exhibitions, and his work hangs in museums as well as private and public collections around the globe. Wasiksiri has also lectured and held seminars at several universities. He is now working on his own book about the Thai way of life, and photographing for two other books due out in the coming months.
BOOKS
Graphis Photo 95. Selected work published in this compendium by Rotovision (1995).
Thailand: 9 Days in the Kingdom. Dow Wasiksiri was chosen as one of 55 leading world photographers for this book and exhibition project. Wasiksiri has among the most pictures selected, alongside bestselling photographers including Greg Gorman, James Nachtwey, Steve McCurry, Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Olivier Fölmi, Mike Yamashita, Bruno Barbey, Abbas, Eric Valli and Michael Freeman. To be published worldwide by Editions Didier Millet (Paris/Singapore, plus 5 foreign language editions) in November 2007.
Very Bangkok. Principal photographer of a book by Philip Cornwel-Smith (author of ‘Very Thai: Everyday Popular Culture’), to be published by River Books (London/Bangkok)
My Thai (provisional title). A signature book of photography about the Thai way of life currently being created by Wasiksiri.
AWARDS
1978
Outstanding Student Award, Film Department, Los Angeles City College.
Dean's Honor List Los Angeles City College.
Excellence in Photography award, by Photographer's Association of Anahiem, California .
1990
Commercial Photographer of the Year, awarded by Kodak (Thailand)
1996
Bangkok Art Director’s Award for Best Print Ad (Village Bakery)
2000
Kodak Professional Lifetime Achievement Award (Thailand).
2007
Gold Award for Best Print Ad (Seiko) at AD Fest, Asia.
Bangkok Art Director’s Award for Best Print Ad (Anti gambling)
Cannes Lion Finalist (Anti-gambling Print Ad)
EXHIBITIONS
1993
The Art of Fixing a Shadow, group exhibition, British Council, Bangkok, Thailand.
1995
Alternative Original, group exhibition using Polaroid as a medium, World Trade Center, Bangkok, Thailand.
1996
Leica The Camera, Thai Leica Society, Bangkok, Thailand
1997
Dow Wasiksiri , Photographs 1972-1997, solo exhibition, Museum of Imaging Technology, Bangkok, Thailand.
Asiatica, group touring exhibition, Photographies des 3 Continents, Nantes, France.
Asiatica, group touring exhibition, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
1998
Asiatica, group touring exhibition, Siam Society, Bangkok, Thailand.
2000
Nautilus Group, photo exhibition, Half Moon Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand.
2002
Photo Works, solo exhibition, Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.
2003
Wasiksiri's photographic interpretation of Architectural works by Prince Naris, group exhibition, Silapakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
2004
2nd Duyun International Photographic Expo, Duyun, Guiyang, China.
China 6th Photographic Art Festival, group exhibition Duyun Guiyang, China.
2005
Through The Lens, group exhibition, National Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand.
Solitude Standing, solo exhibition, F/Stop Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand
2007
Undeclared Customs, group exhibition, Bread Box Gallery, Perth, Australia.
Undeclared Customs, group exhibition, Pikture Gallery Bangkok, Thailand.
Artist Self-Portrait, group exhibition, Artery Gallery, Silom, Bangkok.
My Thai, group exhibition, Code Red Gallery, Perth, Australia.
See Saw Seen, group exhibition, Ardel Gallery of Modern Art, Bangkok, Thailand.
Life Like Light, group exhibition, National Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand.
Thailand: 9 Days in the Kingdom, group exhibition, Central World Plaza, Bangkok, Thailand.
2008
Thailand: 9 Days in the Kingdom, group exhibition, SCB Park Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand.
FotoFreo 2008: The City of Fremantle Festival of Photography, Solo exhibition, Kulcha club Fremantle, Western Australia.
City Revisited, group exhibition, Art Gorillas Gallery
Bangkok, Thailand.
Mapping the Invisible Cities, Touring group exhibition :
1. Jakarta, at Goethe institute Jakarta, ( July 2008 )
2. Singapore, at Winslano House II ( September 2008 )
3. Manila, at Shangri-la Plaza ( November 2008 )
Fifth International Photo Art Festival, Kaunas Photo 08, Kaunas, Lithuania.
Freedom to Photography!,Kaunas International Airport Kaunas, Lithuania.
Thailand: 9 Days in the Kingdom, group exhibition, Central Department store,Phuket, Thailand.
2009
Mapping the Invisible Cities, Touring group exhibition :
1. Bangkok, at Goethe institute Bangkok ( January 2009 )
2. Hanoi, at Goethe institute Hanoi ( March 2009 )
3. Kuala Lumpur, Annexe Galleries ( May 2009 )
Prince Naritsaranuwattiwong's Memorial Day, group exhibition Title : Home. Silpakorn University Gallery,Bangkok, Thailand.
Simply Thai, solo exhibition, Banyan Tree Phuket, Thailand.
Easy Bangkok, group exhibition, Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre, Bangkok Thailand.
See Saw Seen II, group exhibition, Ardel Gallery of Modern Art, Bangkok, Thailand.
2010
Mixed Mitr Photography, group exhibition, Exhibition Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre, Bangkok Thailand.
Prince Naritsaranuwattiwong's Memorial Day, group exhibition Title : People. Silpakorn University Gallery,Bangkok, Thailand.
Emerging Wave (Asean-Korea Contemporary Photo Exhibition 2010), group exhibition,Hangaram Art museum Seoul Art Center, Seoul, Korea.
Thai Photography Now, (The Month of Photography Tokyo 2010), group exhibition, Ring Cube Gallery, Ginza Tokyo Japan.
Emerging Wave (Asean-Korea Contemporary Photo Exhibition 2010), group exhibition,GoEun Museum of Photography, Busan, Korea.
See Saw Seen III, group exhibition, DOB Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand.
Tourists, solo exhibition, Kathmandu Photo Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand.
Mahakad Festival (A Centennial Celebration of Kad Luang Market), group exhibition, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
2011
Prince Naritsaranuwattiwong's Memorial Day, group exhibition Title : Motion. Silpakorn University Gallery,Bangkok, Thailand.
Once in venice, group exhibition, at ARDEL's Third Place Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand.
See Saw Seen IV, group exhibition, DOB Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand.
2012
Prince Naritsaranuwattiwong's Memorial Day, group exhibition Title : Water. Silpakorn University Gallery,Bangkok, Thailand.
Fourteen - Fine Art Photography, group exhibition, Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre, Bangkok Thailand.
Thai Trends,(Art in the 9th reign: Thai Trends from localism to internationalism) group exhibition, Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre, Bangkok Thailand.
Action Field Kodra 2012 (Visual Art Festival), Theme of Colonail photo studio exhibition Thessaloniki, Greece.
Thai Transience Exhibition (curated by Prof. Dr Apinan Poshyananda), group exhibition, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore.
