Sukhothai—once a small outpost of the Khmer Empire—rose to prominence in the 13th century and became the foundation of Thai language, script, and identity under King Ramkhamhaeng.
It remains the earliest Thai kingdom with surviving physical evidence of its civilization.

Southeast Asia’s bamboo-based material culture means few ancient artifacts have withstood the test of time.
Much of its history lives only in myths and oral traditions.
Unlike the stone legacies of ancient China or the literary records of Europe, this region’s past is often fleeting—half remembered, half imagined.

Yet Sukhothai stands as a rare exception.
Its temples, Buddhas, and brick architecture endure, remarkably intact.
The spiritual remnants of a golden Buddhist era still lie visible across the ruins.
In 1991, UNESCO designated the site a World Heritage location. Today it lives on as the Sukhothai Historical Park.

This project explores a fictional moment: what if Nangfha—the mythical “angel of Sukhothai”—returned to her ancient homeland and looked back on the forgotten kingdom?
To visualize this, I dressed the model in period costume and created floating, ethereal images symbolizing her presence.
Though technically simple jump shots, the scenes become metaphors—suggesting layers of memory, fantasy, and history colliding.

The original inspiration came from a work I saw in a 1997 issue of the French magazine PHOTO.
I’ve long since lost the issue during a move, and I don’t remember the artist’s name.
But I recall the images vividly—occupying three or four pages—and I believe the creator was a prominent photographer.
If anyone recognizes the work, I would deeply appreciate hearing from you.
This series, in many ways, is an homage from an Asian photographer to that unknown master.

If reality is a form of memory, then Nangfha is not just a mythical figure—she is Sukhothai itself.
The glorious days have faded, but they persist—weathered, rediscovered, reframed.
Our time will also fade. And perhaps, one day, someone will walk through its ruins and remember, as Nangfha does now.

Finally, I express my sincere gratitude to the staff of Sukhothai Historical Park, whose kind support made this work possible.

Autumn 2017,
Written in Lampang, Thailand
Hakbong Kwon