10 contemporary artists from different fields are recognised at this year's Silpathorn Awards

Probably too controversial or unconventional to ever be considered for the staid, traditional National Artist title, three senior artists - Somtow Sucharitkul, Saiyart Semangern and Suwan Kongkhunthian - are to receive accolades this year at the Silpathorn Awards.

The Culture Ministry's Contemporary Art and Culture Office (OCAC) has been presenting these awards to mid-career national artists aged between 30 and 50 since 2004.

This year, however, some "honorarary" awards are beign given to three artists aged over 50.

Conductor Somtow, 56, founder of Bangkok Opera, has been staging often controversial performances since 2001.

Saiyart, 63, is an independent designer and artist who creates modern furniture from recycled wood, while Suwan, 59, transforms natural products like rattan and water wheat into contemporary furniture under his own brand Yothaka.

"Under the Bt1 million for 10 winners, we are pleased to honour these three respected artists whose works have had great impact on their particular fields," OCAC's director Apinan Poshyananda told Daily Xpress.

Design honor added

This year, OCAC is extending the awards to cover design, recognising low-profile jewellery designer Sompit Foosakul, a lecturer at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Lat Krabang.

Two awards are being given in the literary field - to 1995 SeaWrite winner Phraiwarin Khao-ngam and to Khajornrit Raksa, a SeaWrite finalist and the former editor of Writer magazine.

As expected, international artist Araya Rasdjarmrearn-sook won the award in the visual arts category. One of the few leading female artists in the national art arena, Araya is best known for her controversial installation dealing with death. She teaches at Chiang Mai University.

Award-winning director Nonzee Nimibutr beat veteran actress Sinjai Plenpanich for the prize in the film section. Nonzee was part of the Thai New Wave movement in the late 1990s that pushed the local industry into the world cinema spotlight. Nonzee's latest movie, "Queens of Langkasuka" is being screened out of competition at the Venice Film Festival later this month.

Crescent Moon Theatre's artistic director Sineenadh Keitprapa won the Performing Arts award. The playwright, director and actress recently starred in an adaptation of Samuel Beckett's absurd drama "Waiting for Godot".

Michigan State University graduate Narongrit Dhama-butra won in the music category. The classical composer teaches at Chulalongkorn University.