Nariphan, 1997

“The Noriphan figure is a girl-fruit in the Himaphan Forest which lures some ermits who have not yet attained the final stage of anchonte. These girl-fruits have limited lifetime and become rotten after a short while. The figures of the noriphon are mostly seen on Thamma cabinets [for keeping the scriptures] of the Early Rattanakosln period, and have never been found as male figures”

Excerpt from: Settamart Kanjanakul, Sensaay laay Thai (Thai Pattem and Omament). 1993. p.152 [Translated from Thai by Phaptawan Sawannakudt]

"My Noriphon Series paintings depict the noriphon tree and related to a true story I was told when I was working on a mural project at Phayao, a province in the North ofThailand, during 1990-1991. A twelve year old girl, the daughter of a noodle stall owner, was sold by her own parent to a brother agent for 3,000 bath[US $ 120). The price was discussed ‘by the parents in comparison with that they had received for other goods which they old In the market My works tell that the girls are noriphon fruits which have been bome from rees nurtured by these age-old Thai beliefs."

Phaptawan Sawannakudt, 1997

Womanifesto I exhibition catalogue, 1997, Available at: https://aaa.org.hk/archive/257375