TALK WITH NATTHAPAT DISSORN, A THAI ARTIST-SLASH-FARMER, OWNER OF THE PAGE AND PEN NAME ‘MR. KRANG AND GEORGE,’ WHO CONVEYS THAI-INSPIRED DARK FANTASY THROUGH ‘A LONG FOLKLORE’

TEXT: PIYAPONG BHUMICHITRA
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOYMAN GALLERY EXCEPT AS NOTED

(For Thai, press  here)

‘Mr. Krang and George’ serves double duty: it’s both the name of a Facebook page and the pen name adopted by the Thai artist-slash-farmer Boy Natthapat Dissorn—hereafter simply referred to as Mr. Krang. He is currently holding a solo show called ‘A Long Folklore’ at Joyman Gallery in Bangkok’s Samran Rat neighborhood, curated by Suphita Charoenwattanamongkol (Podduang). This is not Mr. Krang’s first solo exhibition, nor is it his first collaboration with this particular curator. However, it’s the very first exhibition to showcase an ensemble of demons, monsters, enigmatic deities, and distortions of human behavior—elements that have earned the Mr. Krang page significant recognition on social media and steadily increased his following.

Don’t let the word ‘folklore’ in the title trick you into expecting a pastel-hued, feel-good children’s story with a neat moral at the end. art4d’s recent conversation with both Mr. Krang and Podduang didn’t reveal everything, but it offered more than enough to probe beneath the surface and ease some of the lingering questions surrounding the origins of this distinct work of Thai-inspired dark fantasy, its intended trajectory, and what it’s trying to say. So if you’re ready to dive in, consider this your formal introduction to Mr. Krang, Podduang, and the expansive narrative realm of this long folklore, starting with the next paragraph.

Artist and Farmer

art4d: One of the most intriguing aspects of Mr. Krang—beyond his distinctive line work and inventive character designs—is that he is one of the very few Thai artists who also happens to be a bona fide farmer. And no, we’re not talking about a cutesy backyard vegetable patch cultivated solely for content creation and social media likes.

Mr. Krang and George: After I finished my master’s degree at Silpakorn University, I took a full-time lecturer position at Bunditpatanasilpa Institute—the same university where I completed my undergraduate studies. I spent four years there, teaching painting to second- and third-year students. This was right when COVID-19 was hitting hard, and at some point, I decided to get away from it all by going back home to Surat Thani. I ended up staying for over a month.

My family has a rubber plantation back home, and at that time they’d decided to uproot all the fungus-infected rubber trees and replace them with something else. I’d been around long enough for my mom to realize I could actually stick it out there. She suggested I move back permanently to help grow cocoa, bananas, and durians—starting completely from scratch. I said yes, but first I wanted to finish my last teaching term in Bangkok. After wrapping that up, I settled into a whole new life, something I’d never experienced while living in the city. At the orchard, our routine is simple: we work from about 7:30 to 9:30 in the morning, then take a long break before starting up again around 4:30 to 6:00 in the evening. It’s a cycle we follow every day because of the heat. It’s peaceful, and I don’t have to deal with people the way I did when I was teaching. I don’t feel worn out, and I still have time to make art.

I’m involved in every step of the process: planting cocoa, taking it out of the seedling bags, placing it into the soil. Working this way makes me focus on what needs doing and take responsibility—for both the family’s work and my own. Of course, there are times when I’ve got tight deadlines for my art. Occasionally, I have to ease up on orchard work to meet them, and sometimes I’ve gotten so absorbed in my art that it caused issues. Eventually, I had to structure my life better—no more late nights or letting things slide. Now I paint during my downtime, between 9:30 and 4:30, when we’re not out in the orchard.

Before all this, I was living in Bangkok, juggling teaching and art. I was afraid that if I left the city, I’d lose my opportunities to make a name for myself as an artist. But when I ran away from COVID and settled back home, I still had exhibitions lined up with Podduang—like the ‘Land Owner’ show at Joyman Gallery in 2022—and that made me realize I wasn’t actually missing out on opportunities I once feared. With modern communication and shipping, I can still create and exhibit my work from a distance. Being far away isn’t the roadblock I once imagined it being.

Mr. Krang and George

art4d: ‘Mr. Krang and George’  isn’t just some random moniker: it’s the pen name Mr. Krang chose for himself, as well as the title of the page he founded, both rooted in the personality he carried way back in his student days. His classmates knew him by his signature swagger, a sort of everyday bravado that’s since become a defining trait. Then there’s Friend George, a homegrown Thai canine character whipped up by Mr. Krang as a trusty sidekick—someone to help him navigate the less desirable twists of fate they’d face together. These two lead characters form the core narrative of a long-running, silent comic—no dialogue, no sound effects—just visuals charting their attempts to overcome obstacles, side by side. After all these years, that very comic has becoming a key component of ‘A Long Folklore,’ the exhibition.

KG: I’ve been running the page since 2013, calling it ‘Mr. Krang and George’  from the get-go. Back then, I used to draw this dark-skinned character wearing a green or blue plaid sarong, a look that had been my signature since my student days. The page was simply a space to let all the random ideas in my head spill out. Over time, as I began my master’s studies, I started honing both my craft and the way I thought about art. I worked on the page alongside my thesis, but the content I posted and my academic work were two separate things. At the time, what I learned from my thesis hadn’t yet influenced what I was creating for the page.

My master’s thesis explored the theme of inequality. I created an installation from MDF wood cut into the shapes of various animals. I was drawn to metaphors back then, using ordinary creatures to make statements about inequality. And it wasn’t just political—inequality emerges in every corner of life. It often stems from caring too deeply about something or from what lies deep within our own hearts.

At first, I didn’t fully bring the insights from my thesis into my online content, but ideas were starting to seep in, even if not immediately obvious. As I kept going, all the knowledge I’d amassed since my art school days at the College of Fine Arts slowly resurfaced. That mindset I’d had during my master’s—where I tried to make my work look ‘cool’  and  ‘clever’—started to feel unnatural. So I began asking myself, What am I really good at? I knew I had solid drawing skills, a knack for working with color, a particular way of thinking, and a fondness for metaphors. Then I thought, Why not channel all of that into telling ghost stories as well?

The Ghosts and BERSERK¹

art4d: The subject matter Mr. Krang selected for his page, which eventually evolved into this exhibition, emerged from a natural outpouring of ideas. It began with ghosts and Pretas (a spirit said to represent someone who committed grave sins in life, known for its towering, emaciated form and elongated limbs), introducing viewers to ‘Mr. Krang and George,’ and subsequently drawing a wide array of reactions from audiences in Thailand and beyond.

KG: While I was working on my animal-themed pieces at home, I often listened to ‘The Ghost,’ a popular online talk show where people called in to share their supernatural encounters with the host, Jack, and his listeners. The more I tuned in, the more vividly these ghostly figures took shape in my mind. I’d actually been sketching them for about six years, though I hadn’t been updating the page regularly. After my previous exhibition ended, the stories from Jack’s program were still echoing in my thoughts. I needed to let those ghosts out onto the page. I wasn’t worried about what people would think. The Mr. Krang page is basically my portfolio—just a place to show what I’m already creating—so I started drawing ghosts.

I began with the Krasue (a female ghost from Thai folklore known for her floating head and dangling entrails). Following a kind of common approach, I started by sketching from references of elderly women and studied human anatomy. I even made a digital collage beforehand to ensure I got the proportions right. Once I posted it, I noticed a surge in engagement. For my next piece, I depicted a Preta. The response was massive: shares and comments poured in by the hundreds each day, which truly surprised me. Some viewers compared my work to BERSERK, Vagabond², and Elden Ring. I hadn’t intended to mirror any particular style, but I could understand why they saw those influences.

BERSERK made a huge impression on me. I knew nothing about the manga until after I finished my bachelor’s degree. A younger classmate, familiar with my casual comic sketches, suggested my line work resembled BERSERK and handed me a copy. After looking through it, I felt it wasn’t similar at all—BERSERK’s intensity was on another level. Each page blew my mind: the lines, the compositions, everything was extraordinary. I can’t replicate what that artist achieved.

art4d: Although some might think of BERSERK upon seeing his work, for me, the pieces in this exhibition feel more akin to Vagabond, the manga by Takehiko Inoue (creator of SLAM DUNK) that reimagines Miyamoto Musashi, the legendary Japanese samurai.

KG: Vagabond, especially in its later volumes, is breathtaking—a true masterpiece. I keep copies and flip through them, studying how Inoue draws trees and leaves. In these more recent pieces, I can sense a hint of Vagabond’s influence lingering in my work. Still, they retain a distinctly Thai essence.

I think this style of drawing achieves its fullest depth when executed with a pen. I started with PIGMA pens and had been using them consistently until I began creating Krasue ghost illustrations on eye-care paper. I never considered using a brush; I had tried once before and found it nearly impossible to control. Although I experimented with alternating between brush and pen—which produced some pleasing results—certain details simply couldn’t be realized that way. When I first began drawing the Krasue, I had only a ballpoint pen and a stack of A4 paper at home, so I committed myself fully to using just the pen.

Mr. Krang and Sister Podduang

art4d: This exhibition is distinctly divided into two parts. The first features an installation of original manuscripts from the ‘Mr. Krang and George’  comics, which the artist had accumulated. Copies are displayed in the exhibition’s first section, and the manuscripts are compiled into a comic booklet titled ‘1 Baht.’ The second part showcases line art rendered in pen, watercolor, and acrylic across various materials and sizes. The works range from pieces familiar to those who follow the artist’s Facebook page to entirely new, unseen creations.

KG: Once I started drawing pretas, I just kept going, building a collection over time. In that first year, I poured out everything lingering in my mind as I listened to ‘The Ghost.’ Eventually, I moved beyond mere ghosts—like when I conceived the idea of a ‘Preta Monk,’ applying artistic concepts to push the work in more creative directions. We need not limit ourselves solely to ghosts. As I continued listening, it struck me that people are often more terrifying than any spirit—the human mind can cast spells, manipulate souls. Human nature is far more frightening. I was merely purging what was stuck in my head, and as I did, the work evolved, allowing new concepts to enter. Ultimately, it ceased to be just about ghosts. I returned to the character of Mr. Krang, though I no longer depicted myself as him. Instead, I separated the narrative into a silent comic—Mr. Krang 1 Baht (the first volume). This story is not finished; there will be 2 Baht, 3 Baht, 4 Baht volumes to come.

In the beginning, I drew only what existed in my own thoughts. Later, I began illustrating visions sparked by podcasts. As I listened, images emerged—distortions of the human psyche—that I felt compelled to sketch. I grew bold enough to move beyond the contextless depiction of ghosts. I started drawing scenarios born not just of human thoughts and minds, but of their deeds and intentions. I chose to focus on humanity. I blended the ghostly and monstrous aspects of mental states with human narratives. Drawing upon my background and education, I moved beyond the purely spectral. Humans harbor ghosts within themselves; they possess monstrous qualities. So, I decided to explore humans rather than straightforward ghosts, merging human elements into another form. It’s nothing new; it already exists within us.

Two years ago, I had a show at River City. By then, I had a concept and a substantial body of work. I brought it to Podduang and essentially pitched my idea. We kept in touch, and if she needed me to prove what I could do, I was ready. Once she gave me the green light, I went home and it was like flipping a switch—no longer limiting myself to ghosts. From this point onward, I decided that I will draw everything.

art4d: Supita Charoenwattanamongkol, the exhibition’s curator—whom Mr. Krang affectionately refers to as ‘Sister Podduang’—shared her perspective on working with an artist who is also an orchard farmer, and how this dual role shapes the experience in ways that differ from collaborations with other artists.

Supita Charoenwattanamongkol: As a gallery, working with Mr. Krang is distinctive and uniquely individual in many aspects, starting with his dual role as an artist and an actual fruit grower. He manages his time extremely well. Many other people might struggle to keep their work contemporary, or might even abandon it altogether.

One thing that sets him apart is the information—or rather, the content—underpinning his work. The surreal quality woven into each piece springs from deep local roots and symbolic elements, all fully realized in his art. He has always stayed true to and never wavered from this approach. Moreover, these local origins and folk elements translate remarkably well to an international audience. They are perceived as surreal, pop-surreal, and contemporary, rather than mired in traditional forms. There’s a definite departure here, a striking originality.

art4d: What follows are just a few selected hints, carefully chosen so as not to spoil the exhibition too much. They show that each painting Mr. Krang creates isn’t just drawn for the sake of drawing. Each piece is born of his need to express what he absorbs from the news, information, and experiences around him. This aligns with Supita’s remarks about what makes Mr. Krang so unique, echoing what he himself explained to us about his works.

KG: Take, for example, the piece called Sawasdee Pi Mangkon (‘Happy Year of the Dragon’). It’s my commentary on Chinese capital. Here, pretas (hungry ghosts) are cosplaying as dragons, with celestial beings providing support from above. I use pretas to represent humans consumed by greed—those who, after death, become these cursed spirits. I drew this at the beginning of the year and then continued creating more pieces. Another example is Chang Pralard (‘Strange Elephant’), which started with a mental image that I then sketched onto brown paper. This strange elephant is inspired by the white elephant and the Erawan Elephant. Since it exists, it becomes necessary. We don’t really know what form of protection or preservation they’re engaging in. It arises from multiple deities merging to become the Erawan Elephant. This elephant image does not judge whether something is evil. Its appearance may be frightening, but that doesn’t mean it’s inherently bad

The inspiration for this piece comes from the black-chinned tilapia. Humans have done so many things to it, destroying its ecosystem and inflicting heavy harm on other living creatures. As I delved deeper, I discovered people exploiting these creatures in unnatural ways—there’s a stench of greed, a desire to sell, invest, and reap profit at others’ expense. I wondered, what form should represent this idea? In a flash, I imagined a goldfish with a mouth like a suction tube, resembling an anus. The idea started in my mind before it took shape. This piece required no sketch; I painted directly on the canvas. It’s essentially a blend of hideousness, though I’ve softened it somewhat.

As for the painting of the Vemanikapretas³ , I drew inspiration partly from how Attack on Titan⁴  presents various types of Titans: the Beast Titan, the Armored Titan, and so forth. In Tribhumi cosmology, each category of preta is tied to specific karma—each deed leads to a particular type of preta, from powerful, high-level ones down to those in hellish realms. I got the idea from a ghost story program about a grandfather who was a judge. Within his family, everyone believed he was a good man, yet after his death, evil spirits tormented the household. Investigations suggested that, although he seemed good at home, he committed many terrible deeds outside, and the karmic consequences eventually affected other family members.

With the Mahitthikapretas⁵  painting, I created it during a period when there was sensational news about certain monks. I also personally knew a monk who was considered a ‘developer’ but whose development meant amassing personal wealth. He used religious teachings as a way to generate income, turning temple donations into his own treasure. From the outside, such individuals appear respectable, but in reality, they’re driven by relentless greed—a greed so extreme that they refuse to work for themselves, relying instead on the generosity of the faithful to become rich. When they die, their minds transform into Mahitthika Pretas. I wanted this preta to resemble a temple gable—like scaffolding or a structural support. In the end, this preta has nothing left. I posed its skeletal figures in a way that recalls a temple gable. For the background, I painted an iridescent cloud phenomenon, a scientific event that occurs alongside rain clouds, appearing magical and wondrous. In this painting, I started with the background first and then added the preta afterwards.

art4d: Supita explained that there were many reasons for choosing Mr. Krang to exhibit at Joyman Gallery, but the most important one was.

SC: His work speaks to us in whatever form it takes. It has a strong, unique character. Mr. Krang possesses complete capabilities—both in skill and in expressing precisely what he intends to convey.

The matter of selling comes later. If you think about sales first, the work will lose its quality. When selling art through a gallery that follows a ‘represent’ policy (meaning long-term support of the artist), it’s crucial that the artist’s work becomes memorable and builds a solid profile. After that, sales will naturally follow because collectors who buy from such a gallery aren’t just purchasing for home décor; they’re making investments with commercial as well as cultural and artistic value.

Mr. Krang’s work doesn’t follow trends or popular crazes. He has a niche audience, which is actually a good thing because it allows him to stand out. He practically has no competitors who can do what he does. Selling his work isn’t just about selling individual art pieces. His reputation in the art scene is genuinely recognizable. He’s made an impact beyond the art world—reaching into film, illustration, comics, and sci-fi literature—it really surpasses all expectations.

art4d: As the curator of this exhibition and having worked together for a long time, I asked her to describe the type of artist Mr. Krang and George is

SC: He is an artist working in a dark fantasy/surrealist style, elevating the concept of folklore beyond traditional storytelling methods. Nowadays, when artists depict folklore, history, or religion, they usually stick to a few familiar forms—pop interpretations, Thai-style painting, or conceptual art. What we haven’t seen before is something presented through dark fantasy or surrealism.

art4d: After spending nearly two hours transcribing the interview and shaping it into this article, I believe this summary best captures the identity, thought process, and artistic approach of Mr. Krang and George, even if some nuances may have been lost in interpretation.

KG: I’ve grown used to not trying too hard. People who put a lot of effort into their work tend to disappear because they’re overwhelmed by systemic favoritism. I’ve always been a hard worker; growing up in a farming family taught me that while we can’t control the prices of our products, we can certainly control their quality. This principle was instilled in me from childhood. My mother diligently made and sold noodles, turning a good profit. My father, equally diligent, worked in the electrical field and earned several promotions. Raised in a family that cherished hard work, we saw no need to rely on a patronage system.

The exhibition ‘A Long Folklore’ by Mr. Krang and George is on display until January 12, 2026, on the G floor of Joyman Gallery. For those interested in Mr. Krang’s conceptual cartoons and the SCULPTURE x Mr. Krang with Friend George t-shirt, you can contact the exhibition’s staff or reach out via the Joyman Gallery’s official Facebook page.

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¹ BERSERK is a manga that follows a warrior’s quest for vengeance against the God Hand—an assembly of demonic entities—after he narrowly survives their sacrificial eclipse ritual. Acclaimed worldwide as a dark fantasy masterpiece, it was written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura (1966–2021), who passed away before its completion. Today, the story continues under the supervision of Koji Mori, Miura’s close friend and the creator of *Holyland*, together with Studio Gaga, Miura’s former team of assistants and apprentices, who aim to bring BERSERK to its conclusion.

² Vagabond is a manga that reimagines the life of Miyamoto Musashi, the most legendary and formidable samurai in Japanese history. It was created by Takehiko Inoue, the artist behind SLAM DUNK. Over time, Vagabond’s illustrative techniques evolved steadily, and the intensity and darkness in both artwork and storyline profoundly affected Inoue. The strain became so overwhelming that he was forced to stop drawing the series, and to this day, he has yet to resume.

³ Attack on Titan or Shingeki no Kyojin in Japanese, is a manga series by Hajime Isayama. It centers on humanity, which survives within enormous walled cities to fend off attacks by Titans—gigantic, human-like beings who wear no clothing and prey upon humans for food.

⁴ Vemanikapretas are a class of pretas (hungry ghosts) who possess wealth and may occasionally experience comforts reminiscent of heavenly beings. Some enjoy bliss by day and suffer at night due to their past miserliness, while for others it is the reverse. Those reborn as Vemanikapretas were once generous in making merit but failed to uphold moral purity in body, speech, and mind. As a result, despite their former good deeds, they must endure a lesser state.

⁵ Mahitthikapretas are powerful pretas with divine beauty, akin to celestial beings, yet they remain perpetually hungry like other pretas. They arise from individuals who, as monks or novices, maintained their precepts flawlessly and thus appeared radiantly pure, but neglected the ascetic and spiritual duties expected of them. Instead, their minds were tainted by greed, anger, and delusion. Mistakenly believing that adhering to precepts alone sufficed and that, unlike laypeople, they did not need to perform generous deeds. Hence, they are reborn as Mahitthikapretas.

The information about Pretas https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%9B%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%95

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