Chalermchai Kositpipat

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Chalermchai Kositpipat
Born February 15, 1955 (1955-02-15) (age 53)
Chiang Rai Province, Thailand
Nationality Thai
Field Painting
Training Silpakorn University
Awards Silpathorn Award for Visual Arts, 2004

Chalermchai Kositpipat (Thai: เฉลิมชัย โฆษิตพิพัฒน์), born February 15, 1955 in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand, is a Thai visual artist. Primarily a painter, Chalermchai's works have been exhibited worldwide, and he is known for his use of Buddhist imagery in his art.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Chalermchai Kositpipat was born into a Sino-Thai family.[1] He later attended Silpakorn University, which was Thailand's primary visual arts school. He graduated with a bachelor of fine arts degree in Thai art in 1977.

Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai Province was based on Chalermchai's designs. Construction was started in 1998 and it's expected to be completed in 2008.
Wat Rong Khun in Chiang Rai Province was based on Chalermchai's designs. Construction was started in 1998 and it's expected to be completed in 2008.

He started out painting movie advertisements on billboards. His early murals mixed traditional Thai Buddhist temple art with contemporary images, which was controversial.[2] Nonetheless, he was commissioned 1988 to paint murals for Wat Buddhapadipa in London.[3] The murals took four years to complete and were controversial because of the contemporary stylings. "I got complaints from everybody – from the [Thai] government, from monks and from other artists, saying that what I was doing was not Thai art," he was quoted as saying in 1998.[2]

Eventually, his work became more accepted, with Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej among his clients. One piece of his was sold for US$17,500 in 1998 at an auction of Thai art at Christie's Singapore.[2]

Among his works is Wat Rong Khun, an ornate white Buddhist temple being built in his native Chiang Rai Province. Work on the temple was started in 1998, and it is expected to be completed in 2008.[4]

"Only death can stop my dream, but cannot stop my project," Chalermchai was quoted as saying about the temple, adding that he believes the work will give him "immortal life".[4]

He was the first visual arts honoree for the inaugural Silpathorn Award, created in 2004 to honor living Thai contemporary artists at mid-career.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Sandra Cate (2002). Making Merit, Making Art: A Thai Temple in Wimbledon. University of Hawaii Press, 189. ISBN 0824823575. 
  2. ^ a b c Gearing, Julian (1998-10-02). Painted into a corner. AsiaWeek. Retrieved on 2007-08-24.
  3. ^ Mural Paintings. Wat Buddhapadipa. Retrieved on 2007-08-24.
  4. ^ a b Thaveephol, Nuttanee (2003-02-01). Wat Rong Khun: A labor of love and devotion. Chiang Mai Mail. Retrieved on 2007-08-24.

[edit] External links


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