N A R S I D
Artist, Illustrator, Storyteller.
a lover of myth and legend
a poet of dreams
Selected Work
The House of Wisdom
Broken, thus Bloom
Language of the Birds
Last Crane
Song of the Seabirds
Mi’raj (المعراج)
The Frogs Who Desired
Raymond Carver’s Fever comic
Mythical creatures of the Near-East
The library of Wisdom
Year of the Dog
Big book of Religion
Heaven and Hell - The Boardgame
Chronicle of Athenaeum
Digital Illustration
Traditional Hand-printing
I’Sacrifice
Lung-Ta
Confesstation MK. II
Questions for your Muslims friends
The Library of
Wisdom
Body as a machine poster
Body as a Machine is a project inspired by Fritz Kahn’s ‘Der Mensch als Industriepalast’ or Man as ‘Industrial Palace’, a piece focusing around visualization of the human body as a piece of machinery. My project is based on translating the complex process of how the ancient Great Library of Alexandria operate and accumulate their knowledge
The Library of Wisdom system of operation is based on the story that in ancient time, when merchant ships came to port at Alexandria, the official will scour the ship of any books on board. Any books or scrolls they found will be seized and the send to the Great library, where the scribes will began copying the manuscript for the collection. The library then kept the original and send they copied version back to the merchant. Organs, organ systems and cells are translated components of the Library such as the books, which are the input, is translated from the food we consume. Lungs turned into the library parts, Liver became the place where new scholars (blood cells) are being recruited and the whole digestive system is turned into the copying and book-making factory. The composition of this piece is oriented to resemble the position of each organs and systems in the human body.
I use dip pen and brown ink on tea-dyed paper inorder to create the ‘old effect’
from Studio in Graphic Communication Design
Class of 2017.
A CommDe project.
The Brain is function as the Administration centre where all the bureacrats and scholars gathered to
discuss and debate on the knowledge recieved
discuss and debate on the knowledge recieved
Mouth and Nose are combined into input, which were represent by the merchant ship coming to the library
Lungs were used as the Library halls flanking the sidecontaining all the collected knowledge that is used withing the Library complex
Heart is the Central platform where all the scholars and acolytes (blood cells) interchange different path to different parts of the system
The Amphitheatre on the left side represent the Liver, where new blood cells are being produced. These cells are represent by the scholars being tutored by senior scholars
Lastly, the whole Digestive system were transformed into Production line of books and scrolls, the original copy were send back up the library halls while the copied version were loaded back on the ship they came from.
Paradise, 2024
The story begins within a paradisiacal garden, tended by the two caretakers. At the centre of this place, within a sacred pool, lies a single lotus flower. The roots of this sacred flower extended to encompass the whole garden.
Broken, thus Bloom
A series of paintings exploring the human journey through trauma and rebirth
Broken, thus Bloom (2024) is a series of 11 paintings, a poetic rendition of a self-actualization journey interpreted from the artist's, Narsid, personal experience with trauma. Within this work, Narsid tries to communicate his complex journey in dealing with traumatic experiences and coming to terms with many of his life-long complexes. Broken, thus Bloom is built upon the Swiss psychoanalysis Carl Gustav Jung's idea of the Individuation process - a process in which a person attempts to become truly an individual by completely integrating every aspect of their personality, especially the ones they deem unworthy and thus repressed - a point which he also argues, could only begin by becoming utterly, completely, and devastatingly broken. Only from the depth of self-annihilation can an individual begin their journey of self-actualization and thus 'Bloom' into a more complete version of themselves - similar to how a seed germinates by breaking its coat.
Due to the complex philosophical, even spiritual, nature of this journey, Narsid decided to propagate it through a series of allegorical imageries steeped in religious symbolism and mythological motifs. The audience will be taken on a journey through a paradisiacal allegory of the human psyche, guided by the two caretakers - a representation of the different aspects of our personality. The narrative will tell a story of how these two come to terms with the destruction of the heavenly abode and their failure to protect it, leading to their eventual destruction, resurrection, and transcendence.
Broken, thus Bloom is an attempt to capture the tale of coming to terms with the fragile and vulnerable nature of humanity, that it is only mundane for us to face the total annihilation of our identity before our eventual journey to wholeness. To be broken is thus to bloom.
Solo Exhibition at 1559 Space
2024
Within the triptych, the narrative expands. Here, the sequence shows the connection between all characters. The two caretakers each tend to their duty, one watering and nurturing the sacred blossom, the other pruning and planting new saplings. From their care, the garden blooms. All the trees and flowers then sprang from their labour, providing habitat and nourishment to all the birds and the beasts that came to call this place home.
Broken, 2024
But after a long peace, disaster struck. A rogue hunter found its way into the sanctuary and shot down a crane, one of the garden’s divine residents. One of the caretakers, unfortunately, witnessed this traumatic act of violence. Overwhelmed by guilt that he could not protect the inhabitants of this place, the caretaker flew into despair and madness. He grabs the stalk of the sacred lotus and tears it apart. The sacred pool dried, the plants withered, and all the animals fled in panic.
But after a long peace, disaster struck. A rogue hunter found its way into the sanctuary and shot down a crane, one of the garden’s divine residents. One of the caretakers, unfortunately, witnessed this traumatic act of violence. Overwhelmed by guilt that he could not protect the inhabitants of this place, the caretaker flew into despair and madness. He grabs the stalk of the sacred lotus and tears it apart. The sacred pool dried, the plants withered, and all the animals fled in panic.
Wrath, 2024
The destruction of their paradise forced the two caretakers to expel themselves from the heavenly garden, to wander the desolate wasteland as penance. The ripped sacred lotus is still in the possession of the caretakers, slowly wilting away. Alone in desolation, the two caretakers bicker. One kept asking how this could happen, and the other couldn’t stop blaming themselves. The argument raged on until one burst out in anger and unleashed his fury upon the other. The lotus they took is finally dead.
The destruction of their paradise forced the two caretakers to expel themselves from the heavenly garden, to wander the desolate wasteland as penance. The ripped sacred lotus is still in the possession of the caretakers, slowly wilting away. Alone in desolation, the two caretakers bicker. One kept asking how this could happen, and the other couldn’t stop blaming themselves. The argument raged on until one burst out in anger and unleashed his fury upon the other. The lotus they took is finally dead.
Resurrection, 2024
Such an act of cruelty paralyzes the two caretakers into a catatonic state. Their deeper psyche
took control of the situation by manifesting into reality and began assessing, questioning, and reflecting on what had happened. Realizing his transgression, the one who strikes raises the body of the other, holding him close in repentance. The wounds from his action appeared on both their forehead, revealing their shared identity. Their bloody tears began the lotus seed’s germination.
took control of the situation by manifesting into reality and began assessing, questioning, and reflecting on what had happened. Realizing his transgression, the one who strikes raises the body of the other, holding him close in repentance. The wounds from his action appeared on both their forehead, revealing their shared identity. Their bloody tears began the lotus seed’s germination.
Ascension, 2024
The divine crane that was shot down miraculously returned to the caretakers as a phoenix. The bird then invites the pair to ascend to the heavenly realm, to receive the revelation and blessing of how they can rebuild their paradise again. The two caretakers then mounted the divine bird and flew through the layers of heaven. The souls of all the animals that died or fled the heavenly garden then return to them as constellations, blessing the two on the final chapter of their journey.
The divine crane that was shot down miraculously returned to the caretakers as a phoenix. The bird then invites the pair to ascend to the heavenly realm, to receive the revelation and blessing of how they can rebuild their paradise again. The two caretakers then mounted the divine bird and flew through the layers of heaven. The souls of all the animals that died or fled the heavenly garden then return to them as constellations, blessing the two on the final chapter of their journey.
Revelation, 2024
As the crane reaches higher and higher into the heavenly realm, the barrier between reality and the abstract begins to blur until there’s nothing left but silence and the divine pair, left to contemplate all they’ve been through. Finally, the pair reached the abode of a divine consciousness. The divine presence bore the face of a mirror, reflecting the visage of the two caretakers, implying that the only people who could help them bring back their garden are themselves.
As the crane reaches higher and higher into the heavenly realm, the barrier between reality and the abstract begins to blur until there’s nothing left but silence and the divine pair, left to contemplate all they’ve been through. Finally, the pair reached the abode of a divine consciousness. The divine presence bore the face of a mirror, reflecting the visage of the two caretakers, implying that the only people who could help them bring back their garden are themselves.
The interior of the triptych then further clarifies their journeys and existences. The two caretakers are actually one and the same, two facets of the same consciousness. Finally, in the abode of divinity, they joined together as individuals again. The interior of the painting also reveals that the divine presence they seek is also their own self, revealing the nature of their journey through the life cycle of the end, but to repeat eternally, with each cycle evolving them into a better version of themselves.
Mi’raj (المعراج)
Paper relief of mystical dreamscape
Mi’raj (المعراج) is a project inspired by the spiritual journey of the same name by Prophet Muhammad, where he ascended into heaven and received his divine revelation from god. From a more secular perspective, one could interpret that we human beings took a similar journey every night in the form of dreams. Within this realm of slumber, theoretically, it is the closest place for us mortal to grasp a glimpse of the divine.
Gouache-painted paper relief
50 X 65 cm
2022
In the centre lies The Prophet, traveller of dreams
And on the edge of reality sits the Keeper of the Sacred flame, one who kept alive the psyche of men
The Great Primordial serpent, vanquished by the Avenger, he who sat at the end of all thing,
awaiting to unleash total annihilation of the universe.
awaiting to unleash total annihilation of the universe.
One of the five keystones of human soul, the Flame of Inspiration maintain the aspect of wonder
in the heart and mind of humankind.
in the heart and mind of humankind.
The Muses, composer of the heavenly choir, sat and sang and serenade the order of the universe
Bearer of the sacred gifts, the Magi, come to venerate the coming of The Prophet with their divine gifts
Language of the Birds
Speculative research on the Human-Birds-Nature relationship
The Language of the Birds delves into the relationship between humans, birds, and Mother Earth, exploring the avian mantle of prophethood between the emerging race of men and their silent mother through speculative, fictional mythmaking. A series of de-anthropizing narratives from non-human perspectives invites us all to reflect and resituate ourselves with the idea that humans are not the sole perpetrators of this world’s narrative, but participants who stand equal with the rest of Gaia’s children.
Visual Communication, Royal College of Art 2024-2025
The shrine to Mother Nature comprises a wooden altarpiece that also functions as a birdhouse, a ritual table for making clay figurines as offerings, and a series of porcelain birds in motion.
A series of porcelain cranes in different flying positions arranged in sequence
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A piece of publication narrating the ‘mythology’ of the project. An account of a dialogue between a bird, a Hoopoe, and a modern-day ornithologist on the nature of the human-birds-Mother Earth relationship.
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Ritualistic bird-figurine-making using clay as a medium, a material contextualized within the scope of the project as ‘The flesh of thy mother’
The frog who desired
A children book project
The frogs who desired is one of the 9 series of children book, where traditional folk tales told to children in the region of Thailand has been re-imagined within a modern context, combining the traditional narrative with a bigger, more contemporary issues. This work is a collaboration between 9 artists and the METABOLIC MODULES group.
The frog who desired reimagined the story of The frog who wished for a king by the famous Greek storyteller Aesop. The narrative shifted to fit the concept given by the METABOLIC MODULES of ‘community’ and how different groups of people engage with their community and the resourced available within it. Social struggle and the distribution of resources is the main them presented here, while changing the disastrous end of the frogs in the pond, to their cooperation and struggle against the increasingly capitalistic world.
for ‘Nine Folks Tales’
A 2022 project.
NARSID
Pitchaya Vimonthammawath
Pitchaya is an artist based in Bangkok. His work is mainly based on a narrative
inspired by mythologies from around the world. He engages in practices such as
painting, digital illustration, illustration-based animation, and storytelling.
His area of interest (and, to an extent, expertise) ranges from history, mythology,
religion, and the history of arts and architecture.
Curriculum Vitae
2025
Graduated from the Visual Communication Course, Royal College of Art
Participating Artist of ShortBox Comic Fair 2025 (Song of the Seabirds)
2024
‘Broken, thus Bloom’ Solo Exhibition at 1559 Space
Participating Artist of ShortBox Comic Fair 2024 (Last Crane)
2023
Participating Artist of Bangkok Illustration Fair 2023
‘A Stroll Exhibition 2023: Exploring the Art of ‘Still Life’ Group Exhibition 2023
2022
Participating Artist of Bangkok Illustration Fair 2022
‘A Stroll’ Group Exhibition 2022
2020
Graduated from the Communication Design (CommDe) Course, Chulalongkorn University
Contact
Muhammadnarsid@gmail.com