In the last few weeks, hundreds of thousands of people have marched on the streets of Bangkok to protest against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's alleged corruption. But, before donning the obligatory yellow-and-red bandanas, many of the peaceful protestors reached for their pen, paintbrush and computer mouse.

A mass hatred of the country’s leader has inspired a deluge of DIY posters that we decided to discuss with respected art critic, Marcello A. Lynn.

“Propaganda has been a human activity as far back as reliable recorded evidence exists. The writings of Romans like Titus Livius (c.59 BC - 17 AD) are considered masterpieces of pro-Roman statist propaganda,” explained Lynn.

“Contrary to popular belief, a message does not have to be untrue to qualify as propaganda. In fact, the message in modern propaganda is often not blatantly untrue. However, even if the message conveys only ‘true’ information, it will generally fail to present a balanced consideration of the issue.”

But where do satire, propaganda and art meet? Can images become so powerful, or conceptually unique, that they transcend propaganda to become valued as art?

“Well, I would call these Thaksin-Hitler posters postmodern propaganda-art,” says Lynn. “While the link bothers me: fascists were not capitalists, the appropriation reminds me of Barbara Kruger. However, in these images, the text fails. It doesn’t stand out enough. Like in this one, it looks like it’s saying, ‘What? Thai people.’”

“This is similar, but uses a WANTED poster template. My experience has always taught me that one should never put out rewards that you can’t pay out. At 73 million baht, only Thaksin himself would be able to pay out on the reward. Also, it’s worth noting that no sketch artist could ever be proud of this. The square head is right, but he’s got a swastika on his face.

“As a lifelong Nokia user, I am obliged to ask why the Finnish brand is brought into disrepute in this image. Thaksin looks less like Hitler and more like Bela Lugosi in this one. He’s become sort of a neo-Fascist Dracula.

Intriguingly, one protestor dubbed Thaksin: 'The Pirate of Siam.' Regular readers will already be familiar with BangkokRecorder’s ‘pirate hunts’. Have a peek here if you don’t know we’re talking about: Pirate Chic, Pirate Gallery and Good Will Pirate Hunting. But can this really be true? Can Thaksin be seen lurking around the dark alleys of soi Nana and soi Cowboy searching for Thai booty with his pirate buddies?

“Well, an eye-patch and cross bones could have worked together as a strong image, but throw in a swastika and you have a fascist jolly roger: quite the oxymoron. It’s a shame the artist is not better acquainted with your website: a PhotoShopped Thaksin wearing a ShinCorp mobile phone holster, shorts and black socks may, perhaps, have been a more offensive image.”

“There is a very offensive word in Thai that sounds like lizard (

 

“The painting of the spiked head on a swirling platform in the sky is a crude homage to the Surrealists. Thaksin’s still-wandering forked tongue, coupled with his gaze, seem to suggest life beyond decapitation. Ultimately confusing.”

“The use of hippy figures as political endorsement is something fairly new. Here, the artist invokes the ghostly disapproval of two junkies, a Rastafarian and a Beatle.

 

Can’t a younger Thaksin have somehow enraged the late Jim Morrison? “Hmmm… While it’s unlikely they ever met, perhaps it is an obscure reference to The Lizard King.”

“By turning Thaksin into a Peanuts-style comic strip character, he has become too cute, and his expression is almost endearing: clearly not the artist’s intention.”

“By way of contrast, it’s a little obvious to demonise Thaksin by portraying him as, well, a demon. In this sign, he looks effeminate, chiseled, and too handsome. The squareness of the head is one of the few elements that this caricature shares with other representations.”

“There’s too much going on here. It’s like a poster’s been given to a kid and he’s doodled all over it with Crayolas. Less can be more.”

  

Cut out figures

“Yes, it’s definitely what I would call the heavy metal parking lot approach. Ideal for stoners as it takes the same amount of to make these as it lasts to be high.”

"Thailand as Sex Doll"

“This female form resembles a blow-up doll. Perhaps it symbolises the belief that Thailand is getting fucked over by ‘(T)DUCK SIN’. As a matter of fact, it’s a great shame, but it’s illegal to buy a blow-up doll in this country.”

Thaksin in space

“Yes, a nice concept. Stylistically, it’s hovering between The Jetsons and The Smashing Pumpkins’ music video, ‘Tonight, Tonight.’ A memorable satirical image and inspired use of pastels.”

 

So, Lynn, are these protest posters really art or propaganda, or some sort of satirical hybrid?

"Well, if art is 'the creation of beautiful or significant things,' then it becomes a subjective question. One of the few agreed qualities of art is that it should be innovative in order to be good. If an example of protest propaganda can strike a chord within a community in a truly original and compelling way, successfully tapping into the zeitgeist, then I believe it can be considered to have artistic merit. When propaganda demonstrates irony, derision, or wit to attack or expose folly, vice, or stupidity, then it is also considered satire.

"When these protestors reached for a creative outlet for their frustrations, they attached an enormous level of significance to the outcome of their struggle. It would be interesting to ask the creators if they feel they have made 'art', or whether they feel that is automatically forfeited by the disposable nature of their medium. If you take the posters out of the street and hang them in a gallery, it would be hard to claim it did not look like art, although it's artistic value is an altogether different matter.

"Perhaps the most indelible proof of the power of propaganda images is in their appropriation into pop consumption: just look at Mao or Che. However, the prospect of Thaksin's square face adorning lunchboxes and Pez dispensers one day seems unlikely... unless he really does cause a revolution."

Bookmark it: