Artist makes pictures from reclaimed zinc roof tiles

A resourceful Thai artist transforms rusty zinc roof tiles into beautiful pictures.

Somsak Samphochanon hammers the discarded rubbish into canvases which he uses to paint Buddhist images and scenes of everyday life in his humble studio in Bangkok, Thailand.

He has been working with the unlikely medium since 2001, and said he discovered it while roaming the streets for inspiration for his art.

He said: 'I wanted materials that no one had tried before and that could convey emotion as I wanted. I tried finding something on the road, before coming across a pile of old zinc sheets that were discarded, so I approached and inspected them.

'After seeing the trail of rust on their surface, I thought of impermanence. I turned to see the other side of the sheet and saw no rust.

'I thought of trying to create artworks by drawing old Buddhist statues on old materials with a trail of impermanence, which might turn out to be great and unique. I aimed to create value by turning waste into artworks.'

Somsak first prepares the sepia-stained sheets by working them into flat surfaces suitable for painting, then spraying them with an anti-rusting agent to prevent more rust from forming.

After the paintings are finished, the artworks are stored indoors, away from direct sunlight and moisture, to preserve their longevity.

Somsaki added: 'I also accept students. Those who are interested can contact me to make a reservation with the number of students. I have a lot of styles to choose from for what they want to learn.'

- TRANSCRIPT - 1.17 - 1.25 I am Somsak Samphochanon. My nickname is Zinc. I have been creating art on old zinc sheets for over 20 years

1.26 - 1.43 I first discovered zinc sheets in 2001 when I was creating Buddhist art about impermanence on paper, canvas, or old wood, but they did not reach my satisfaction

1.43 - 2.03 I wanted materials that no one had tried before and that could convey emotion as I wanted. I tried finding something on the road before seeing a pile of old zinc sheets that were discarded, so I approached and inspected them

2.03 - 2.13 After seeing the trail of rust, I thought of impermanence. I turned to the other side of the sheet and saw no rust

2.13 - 2.34 I thought of trying to create artworks by drawing old Buddhist statues on old materials with a trail of impermanence, which might turn out to be great and unique. I aimed to create value by turning waste into artworks

2.34 - 2.49 The trail of rust on zinc sheets varies in colour and pattern. I created artworks in collections, with each collection having different concepts

2.49 - 3.01 When creating Buddhist art, I would pick one with a lot of rust to draw Buddhist statues, aiming to convey impermanence with the trail of rust

3.01 - 3.14 When working on the Thai way of life, I would pick a sheet with a frame similar to an old photo frame, resembling an old picture

3.14 - 3.31 For the 'Dok Mai Rim Rua (flowers on the side of the fence)' collection, I will pick a sheet that is similar to an old zinc fence and will draw flowers on it, making them realistic

3.31 - 3.40 For the work of muppets, I will pick a sheet with a rust pattern similar to a curtain, resembling how they perform a muppet performance

3.41 - 3.53 The trail of rust must match what I want to convey. When I come up with inspiration to draw something, I will pick a sheet that matches the content I want to draw

3.54 - 4.03 Then, I will create the artwork, which includes two important processes: preparing a frame and the second process, drafting and colouring

4.04 - 4.16 For preparing a frame, zinc sheets are wavy, so I need to bend, smash, and hammer them to fix with plywood before finally spraying them with an anti-rust agent to keep the rust the same

4.16 - 4.28 After finishing preparing the frame, I will draft a picture and colour it before putting it on the frame

4.28 - 4.46 Moderately, it will take two weeks and I will put it on display under a shade in the building, as zinc sheets get rust from sunlight and rain when they are outside. When they are inside, they can be stored for a long time

4.46 - 4.55 The anti-rust agent that I sprayed when preparing the frame is extremely helpful to prevent more rust

4.55 - 5.03 For cleaning dust after storing for a long time, I use a feather duster or dry cloth to slowly sweep them

5.03 - 5.11 I have a gallery at Chok Chai 4 Soi 34, and visitors can make a phone call for reservations before visiting

5.11 - 5.17 I have a Facebook page, Sangkasi Art, for viewing my artworks and contacting me

5.18 - 5.31 I also accept students. Those who are interested can contact me to make a reservation with the number of students. I have a lot of styles to choose from for what they want to learn