

The story of Pairoj Pichetmetakul, an artist who decided to leave his hometown of Bangkok and pursue his dreams in New York for nearly a decade. Then, one day, an event occurred that would completely transform the way he created art. Once driven by the dream of exhibiting his work in prestigious galleries, he turned to the streets as his studio, with homeless people as his subjects—and, in many ways, his teachers, helping him discover the true meaning of home and life. Over seven years, he has painted more than 700 lives, traveling from New York to Paris, London, Bangkok, and even to the world’s largest Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh. His journey has been one of exchange and sacrifice, marked by prejudice, loss, countless falls, and the courage to rise again and prove himself time after time. Yet, through it all, this journey has led him to reflect on the meaning of home, hope, art, and life in ways we may never have seen or understood before.