The Legacy of Corrado Feroci (Silpa Bhirasri)
📌 Corrado Feroci, an Italian sculptor, was brought to Siam (Thailand) to serve as a sculptor during the reign of King Rama VI after nearly 200 applicants applied for the position.
🎓 He graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts and became a professor before the age of 30, notably creating a World War memorial on the island of Elba.
🏛️ Upon arrival, he was initially underutilized until he persuaded Prince Naris to model for him, leading to his first successful sculpture of King Rama VI, which is now at the Prasat Phra Thep Bidon.

Founding of Silpakorn University
🏗️ Under the government of Plaek Phibunsongkhram, Feroci secured approval to establish a school for sculpture, which later evolved into the Silpakorn School and eventually Silpakorn University.
🏫 The university initially started with only one faculty, Sculpture, which was unusual for a university structure, but later expanded to include Painting, Architecture, Archaeology, and Decorative Arts.
💡 Feroci’s work, including the Democracy Monument's stucco reliefs, was executed with the help of young apprentices he trained, establishing the foundation for the institution's expertise.

The Evolution and Spirit of Silpakorn University
🏛️ The university expanded its scope beyond pure arts when M.L. Pin Malakul, as Minister of Education and the first Rector, established the Faculty of Arts at the Sanam Chan Palace campus, integrating humanities and sciences.
🌟 Despite diversification, the core identity remains rooted in art and culture, emphasizing that creativity—the act of not repeating the old and benefiting others—is essential in all fields, from science to engineering.
💔 A core concern raised is the lack of strong institutional spirit and unity among Silpakorn alumni compared to other major Thai universities (like Chulalongkorn or Thammasat), leading to weak alumni associations nationwide.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ Feroci's decision to come to Siam was partly driven by the atmosphere of war in his home country, seeking happiness elsewhere.
➡️ Students entering Silpakorn today are required to take a course designed to instill love, respect, and pride for the institution and to represent its honor externally.
➡️ The speaker urges all Silpakorn graduates, regardless of their faculty (Science, Engineering, Arts, etc.), to actively promote the university's reputation and work together to achieve distinction across all fields, not just traditional arts.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Jan 17, 2026, 10:07 UTC