“It seemed that Kamin had thrown away the kind of art that conveyed the energy of emotions, and he started to emphasise conceptual-based art works, inspired by his readings and his rationality. In this kind of art, the concept comes before the emotions.”
— Uthit Atimana
Born in 1964, the Thai artist Kamin Lertchaiprasert has developed an oeuvre imbued with profound conceptual energies. Having studied art in the United States and been exposed to various contemporary ideas, Lertchaiprasert was nonetheless drawn to the ancient wisdom of Buddhism, becoming a monk in 1990. His spiritual exploration has come to influence his artistic practices, which, in his view, is a ritualistic process towards a deeper comprehension of oneself and the world. His works are often serial and diaristic, serving as a spiritual practice that questions the broader meaning of life through everyday artmaking. The two paintings in the present lot offer aesthetically stunning manifestations of Lertchaiprasert’s spiritual approach. Devoid of figurative evocations and metaphoric associations, the paintings are pure process-based practices with which the artist tests the conceptual capacity of the painting medium. The two-dimensional canvas is engaged spatially and sculpturally with countless thick paint dots splashing over and tilting beyond its physical confine. The captivating surface becomes a channel through which the viewer engages with the artist’s intense philosophical touches.
Lertchaiprasert has had solo exhibitions locally and internationally at Visual Dhamma Gallery, Bangkok, Numthong Gallery, Bangkok, Gallery Art U, Osaka, and Art Forum, Singapore. He has participated in notable group exhibitions at the Chiang Mai University Art Museum, Sydney Biennial, Venice Biennale, Busan Biennial, South Korea, Singapore Art Museum, and more. He has also been a pivotal force contributing to Thailand’s vigorous art scene, with collaborative projects such as The Land with Rirkrit Tiravanija and the 31st Century Museum of Contemporary Spirit.