Writer-artist Steven Pettifor was born in 1968 in London. He studied Fine Art at both Wimbledon School of Art and Liverpool Polytechnic (now John Moores University), where he graduated with a BFA in 1990. He migrated to Asia in 1992, and has spent 16-years living in the Thai capital, Bangkok. An ardent follower of contemporary Thai art, Pettifor has become a regular commentator upon art from Asia, contributing to several international and domestic newspapers and journals. Presently he is the Thailand Editor for the international bi-monthly publication Asian Art News and the quarterly World Sculpture News. In 2003 he published the book Flavours - Thai Contemporary Art. Since 2004 Pettifor has also undertaken several curatorial commissions for galleries in Thailand and overseas. In 2007 Pettifor co-initiated the free monthly art resource Bangkok Art Map (BAM!). Pettifor has been helping Navin to embellish his project and comic texts since first working on the comic for the 2001 Shakespeare in Taxi II at London’s Hayward Gallery. Pettifor has also collaborated with Navin for the 2006 Lost in the City exhibition at Bangkok’s Jim Thompson House Museum, and in 2008 he was the curator for Navin’s first retrospective exhibition Navin’s Sala held at The River Promenade in Bangkok. Being British, Pettifor can drink with Navin and all his gang under the table with relative ease.

Born in 1978 in Nakhon Ratchasrima in northeastern Thailand and raised in northern most part of Chiang Rai province, Uthit Thumthong or “Pae” has been on board the Navin Production team since his student days at Chiang Mai University. Unlike his younger brother Uthan, who also works at the Navin Production headquarters in Chiang Mai, Pae is a more reckless elder finishing the day with at least a few bottles of beer or harder spirits. In his important role as Artistic Director at Navin Production, Pae directs a band of painters at different studios in Chiang Mai. Together with his business partners, he also runs the Japanese restaurant and bar Hatena, where celebrities and artists like to hang out. Being hip among local folks and arty visitors, branches of his co-owned restaurant and bar have expanded throughout the Beverly Hills of Chiang Mai. Accustomed to being surrounded by sexy girls and often seen out at the hottest Karaoke lounges in town, Pae jealously guards his reputation as the Casanova of Navin Production’s Lonely-Hearts Club.

Born in the northern city of Lamphang in 1980, Chaturong Charoentrirat or “A”, handles important tasks at the Navin Production headquarters in Chiang Mai. He knows where to find any object in the company’s messy studio and storage area. Having majored in Electronics, A first met Navin in 2000 when he was asked to install lights at Navin’s former studio. A few months later, he joined Navin Production as a gopher responsible for everything from making repairs to packing stuff, driving the car, and running out for food. After an absence of two years while serving in the Royal Thai Air Force, in 2004 A returned to Navin Production to look after the productions that outsource suppliers. He also takes responsibility of storage and shipping. Passing through the capital of Thailand for several productions and exhibitions, A became popular among Bangkok girls whose hearts are trapped by the hard-working and honest lifestyle of this local hero, especially when they heard that A usually cooks for his mother at home. However, the one who is always on the phone with him is still a mystery. He loves goldfish and is working hard to open his own farm soon.

Uthan Thumthong or “Moo” was born in 1980 in Nakhon Ratchasima in northeastern Thailand, and raised in the beautiful environment of Chiang Rai, the most northerly of Thai cities. Holding a degree in Art and Design along with experience working in printing companies in Bangkok, Moo is a concentrated, hard-working graphic designer who sits behind Navin Production’s colorful graphics and informative website. Moo works closely with Navin on the visual proposals of every project and takes responsibility for the busy production of comics and other publications which includes occasional collaborations with other graphic designers. Moo also looks after the archival digital files and video works for the company. He is the father of a young boy who often hangs around his work table. He lives by the Thai mantra Sue Pua Look (“fight for my child”), meaning he must work hard for a bright future for his son and family.

Some think he is a shaman because of his long hair, messy moustache, and because his studio located inside a temple. Born in a southern beach city, Nikorn Karikarn is a simple, optimistic man who has a gentle voice and soft eyes. He graduated with a major in sculpture from an art college in Bangkok and worked for a few years as an illustrator before joining Navin Production in 1997 to work the comic series, Mai Pen Rai Tokyo, a 10-volume adventure of the 3-headed Thai superhero Mai Pen Rai Man in Tokyo. Working in the genre of the Thai-style “One-Baht” comics, Nikorn and his team have been instrumental in the production of more than forty comics by Navin Production during the past decade. His pen-name is “Nikorn Tha-Pra”, taken from the name of the area where he currently lives in the Thonburi side of Bangkok. Among the plethora of creations he has made through the close collaboration with Navin Production, his proudest achievements are Taximan and Mai Pen Rai Man.

Holding a Canadian BA in International Development, and a rare Masters in Cutting-Edge Artistic Expression (direct translation) from a university in Tokyo, Tyler Russell has worked on the curatorial teams of various international art exhibitions. He has also independently curated and facilitated a number of art projects in Canada, Japan and Korea. Since 2006 he has been working with Navin Production as the Production Associate and collaborator for the Navin Party project. As co-initiator/co-author of the Navin Party, his proudest achievements are Quotations From Comrade Navin and the special signing and painting of the YOKOSO! Navin Party campaign in Tokyo. Russell also served as the Co-directing Editor and contributor of numerous writings for Navin’s sala. Collaborating with Navin Production from the other side of the planet, Russell is busy in running the Café for Contemporary Art (CCA) in Vancouver.

Born in 1984 in the southern Thai province of Pattani, Ronarong Butthongkaew or “Jorlang” works with various media, ranging from paintings to computer graphics and videos. Holding a bachelor degree in Painting from Silpakorn University in Bangkok, Jorlang collaborates with different artists as well as developing his own work. He first joined Navin Production’s graphic team in 2007 for the two-year long production of Navin’s Sala, which involved working on the comprehensive reviews in a magazine style format that span the artist’s 15-year career. Jorlang also worked with his partner Alongkorn Sriprasert for the post-production of Long Heart, a 48-page glossy photo novel that appropriated from 70’s magazines with fashionable photos and narrative texts that mimic a short film. As a computer-addicted man, Jorlang devotes his talented energies to the careful retouching of special pictures and video editing while spending his late nights as a blogger.

Thamneap Seetabut began his artistic career as a teenager painting billboards for cinemas around Thailand’s northern cities during the 70’s. He even used to own a cinema himself in a small town where he proudly presented large billboard paintings in front of the cinema and on cars as advertising. His skill at painting film posters brought him a lot of success and fame, but since the arrival of the digital age he has struggled to make a living. Based in Chiang Mai since the 80’s, his signature “Thamneap 100%”, acts as a symbol for the artistic quality for which he is recognised among Chiang Mai’s sign painters and billboard makersi. Thumneap has been with Navin Production since 2001, leading the younger painters to work on a number of billboard paintings, including Art or (M)art?, one of the company’s most acclaimed  pieces to date. Thamneap loves to drink and talk, he can talk forever about any topic, from ghosts to politics. But he is best known for lying around on a reclining bench in studio often falling asleep for hours on end.

Sonthaya Khunkhum or “Dan” is a talented painter who enjoys ending his day with a homemade rice whisky from the local distillery. Dan loves local cuisine and considers cooking to be the art of living. He is famous for cooking Larb, a northern-Thai style spicy meat salad that he proudly claims to be the food of local warriors in the old days. Dan used to own a Larb restaurant that was famous with drinkers but soon became bankrupt because many of his customers were also his friends. After trying a few other businesses, Dan realised that he is best at painting. Keeping himself busy at Navin Production’s studio, Dan has continually worked on his own paintings and regularly participates in exhibitions with local artists. Based in Chiang Mai where he was born and raised, Dan spends part of his time at the beautiful remote village of Prayoa city located on the northern border of Thailand and Laos, where his wife is well-known among local radio listeners as DJ Dok Luck (Love Flower).

Born and raised in Bangkok, Suwat Supachavinwad or “Sab” has worked as a photographer since studying Economics at Thamasat University in Bangkok. It was when he moved to Chiang Mai in the early 90’s that he first met Navin, a university student at the time, who asked him to take photographs of his art installations as well as his upcoming wedding. Since then, Sab has become Navin Production’s executive photographer, regularly sourcing sexy models for photo shoots for the company’s product presentations and advertisements. His work accounts for many of the photos appearing in the artist’s website and publications, including COMM... (1999) and Navin’s Sala (2008). Working at home in Chiang Mai, Sab also runs a photography studio for portrait work and advertisements.