Ithipol Thangchalok has established an international reputation as both a leading contemporary Thai artist, and a respected art educator. While studying at Silpakorn University he was exposed to abstract art and print techniques through Chalood Nimsamer, who had recently returned from the Pratt Graphic Center in New York. Thangchalok excelled at Silpakorn and subsequently received a scholarship to study fine art at the University of Washington, completing his Master’s degree in 1975. Subsequently, he received another scholarship to travel to Australia in 1983.

In his work, Thangchalok favors abstraction and demonstrates great confidence in managing line and texture. He has explored a number of diverse themes as a conceptual artist, including contemporary concerns related to the old and new in urban environments. He exhibits his work regularly, often representing Thailand internationally; moreover, he continues to maintain a strong local following. In addition to being a significant figure in the Thai art scene, Thangchalok is an assistant professor in painting at Silpakorn University, and is actively involved in arts organizations in Thailand including the National Gallery, Bangkok. While he has worked with a variety of media, he is considered an expert printmaker. Thangchalok experiments with various printmaking techniques and through his teaching has helped popularize the medium among a new generation of Thai artists.