KONGTHIN PEARLMICH THE PEARLMAN
KONGTHIN PEARLMICH – CREATIVE DESIGNER, PAINTER, SCULPTOR, POET, AND WILFUL ISOLATIONIST- CUM- MILLIONAIRE RECLUSE - HAS LONG BEEN A MYSTERIOUS ENIGMA FOR THE ART WORLD AT LARGE.
HOWEVER, WITH THE RECENT PLACING OF KONGTHIN’S ICONIC CRUCIFIXION TRIPTYCH DISPLAY AT THE MAGNIFICENT AND FAMOUS KING'S COLLEGE CHAPEL BUILDING AT CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY – AND WITH NO FEWER THAN FOUR VERY HIGH PROFILE KNIGHTS OF THE REALM - ALL OF WHOM HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO THE ARTIST FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS - WHO WERE READY TO OFFICIALLY PRESENT THE TRIPTYCH PIECE TO CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL OFFICIALS HAD THEY DECIDED TO SECURE THE ART WORK AS A PERMANENT ACQUISITION - THEN IT IS REASONABLE TO ASSUME THAT HIS DAYS OF PRIVACY AND WILFUL ISOLATION ARE PROBABLY OVER FOR EVER.
EACH OF THE KONGTHIN TRIPTYCHS ( NUMBERS 1 - 4 ) CARRIES WITH THEM 12 SEPARATE SCULPTURES EACH REPRESENTING A DIFFERENT ARTISTIC CONCEPT. THE TRIPTYCH FORMS THE CENTRE PIECE OF HIS WORK KNOWN AS ' THE MAN DELUSION'. THIS ART WORK CONSISTS OF THE CRUCIFIXION TRIPTYCH (INDIVIDUALLY ENTITLED HAND OF GOD, FOOT OF MAN, HEART OF ETERNAL LIFE) AND TWELVE FURTHER ART WORKS COLLECTIVELY ENTITLED ' THE TWELVE APOSTLES OF MAN' – AND TOGETHER ALL THE PIECES FORM THE WORK ENTITLED, 'THE MAN DELUSION'.
KONGTHIN PEARLMICH – Of all the artists active from the middle of the twentieth century to date, is probably one of the most versatile and certainly one of the most reclusive and publicity/exhibition shy creators of fine art of all time. In relation to his art he is known only to a very tight circle of friends and an even closer group of extremely loyal PATRONS/COLLECTORS of his work.
Unlike many of the more media savvy, publicity seeking artists one may encounter today - Kongthin has never produced art work either for public exhibition, or display in any gallery or for sale by any auction house: further, his poetry has never been published under his own name ( as an individual of private means he has never had cause to showcase or promote his work in this manner ) - he has always preferred the anonymity of a pseudonym to accommodate and to fiercely protect his privacy from the ever-intrusive voyeuristic world. Obviously, such a strategy on the artist’s behalf has inevitably meant that Kongthin has not enjoyed the recognition that may otherwise have been associated with his work. However, all this has recently changed with the display of the artist's iconic Crucifixion Triptych at Cambridge earlier this year. Further exposure is sure to follow when a biographical catalogue raisonné of his work is published early next year . There is also the possibility of his first one man public auction which may be held next spring. The artist's trustees and newly appointed collection managers are currently in discussion with the artist in preparation for such an event.
The fact that Kongthin has managed to retain such a low profile in the profoundly voyeuristic, celebrity driven culture that we have today is a remarkable achievement in its own right. More especially so when you consider the profile of some of the patrons who are dedicated collectors of his work. Luminaries from virtually all sections of the business, political, country house and celebrity culture are known to have commissioned work from the artist's studio with or without the very coveted signature of the 'KP' initials, the two secret inscription marks,a catalogue number,and, of course, a real oyster pearl. The artist is also known as ‘THE PEARLMAN” owing to the fact that every piece of work that he releases accommodates either a single pearl or a series of pearls either in real form as in the sculpture work or painted as in the artist's paintings and drawings.
To read Kongthin's own words as he describes the Triptych Crucifixion peice -
Copyright © 2008 Kongthin Pearlmich All rights reserved.
