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Living the dream

Hyper-realistic sculptor Sunti Pichetchaikul carves a niche for himself in the US
   
Sunti Pichetchaikul discovered his passion for sculpting while still a little boy lazing by the banks of a river flowing next to his village in Nakhon Ratchasima, creating animal models from mud.


In 2008 he relocated to the US and has since built a reputation for himself: Today he is regarded a master hyper-realistic sculptor. When asked about the secret of his success and his rising career, Sunti replied that he was privileged to be born and raised in Thailand where centuries of fine art and craftmanship are interwoven into the threads of its culture.

He has been the centre of media attention in the US since finishing fourth (third runner-up) from a field of 1,582 artists from 39 countries and 43 US states at the third edition of the prestigious Art Prize competition, held recently in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Sunti shared with Life his achievements and expertise in the art of sculpting.



It's very rewarding placing fourth at the world's largest international art competition, given that the top three winners were all Michigan-born. I am also very proud to have been the only foreign artist to finish among the top-10.

Tell us more about the sculpture that won you the 4th prize _ the story behind the piece and the process?

With permission from the late Elizabeth Ford, the former first lady, I sculpted two hyper-realistic sculptures of ex-US president Gerald Ford _ one in fibreglass resin, and the other in bronze. I only had four months to create both pieces. The idea was to convey the impression that President Ford visited the competition to view a bronze portrait of himself. The viewer may also consider the idea as one of self-reflection. It was a demonstration of my ability to identically duplicate my model's likeness in two different expressions, using two different mediums in sculpture. I often had people asking me the name of the mime impersonating the former president.

Could you share with us your first experience at the Art Prize competition? What did you do and why did you think you could finish among the top-5 this year?

Last year I placed in the top-25 from a field of 1,713 artists when my entry was a sculpture of Grandfather Monk Luan. The response to my work was overwhelming, however the location was not ideal and most of the viewers were not aware that my sculpture was modelled after a living person. Others believed that the sculpture was simply a mould of the real Grandfather Monk Luan. This year I wanted to return to the competition with a sculpture of someone the city of Grand Rapids would recognise. There was also this possibility that the Buddhist monk did not place in the top-10 because a majority of the voters were Christian (hence, why a mosaic of Jesus's crucifixion took first place this year). I felt that president Ford, a native of Grand Rapids, was the perfect subject.

Why did you relocate from Thailand to the US?

I have always taken an interest in European and North American art and I am particularly fascinated by the "Old West". And I am no exception to those who still believe in the American dream. When I married Erica (from Connecticut), I had begun a new chapter in my life where relocating to the United States seemed the next logical step, not to mention we were both dejected by the discrimination I faced as a young artist in my own country. That, and our love for new challenges, were enough to prompt me to leave my solid customer base and nonstop commissions behind for a shot at success in the Western world. Sculpting native Americans was a smooth transition for me.

What is it like being a Thai artist in the USA?

Starting from scratch in another country during an economic downturn certainly has its setbacks. I arrived in the US an unfamiliar face _ an unfamiliar Asian face for that matter _ with no history of awards, no name recognition, and very little work to show, as the Department of Fine Arts in the Ministry of Culture refused to release my own artworks because they represented the Buddha. Only Grandfather Monk Luan accompanied us to the US.

I have also learned that US citizens are quite patriotic and typically cheer for fellow Americans. Thais, on the other hand, do not cheer for their home team, in which case nothing has changed. Lastly, I have missed out on press opportunities due to my struggle learning English and, without American citizenship, I am ineligible to apply to certain shows and clubs. Yet my struggle for discovery as a "starving artist" in the US has been the most rewarding experience of my life. It is a blessing to have been embraced by the American public which has expressed a sincere admiration and appreciation for my work. It was startling to witness such a positive and enthusiastic public reaction because in Thai culture, very little praise is delivered to the younger generation in the hope that discontent will encourage youths to strive harder for excellence. I do indeed thank my culture for my perfectionism and attention to detail.

Any future projects? Any plan to come back and exhibit your work in Thailand?

This Christmas I will be unveiling a bronze bust of Jesus of Nazareth from the Shroud of Turin to begin my Legends of the World collection. Following Jesus, I was granted permission to sculpt His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, which I will begin this winter. I also plan to create some smaller Western bronze sculptures, and this spring, I will sculpt "Chief Crowfoot" as my first Canadian chief of my Legends of the Americas collection.

I definitely plan to return to Thailand and hold an exhibition of my American works, although I don't have a particular date at this time. I hope to eventually live and work both in Thailand and in America so that our daughter can benefit from a multi-cultural upbringing and have the best of both worlds.

Learn more about Sunti Pichetchaikul's artworks and the secret behind his talent as a sculptor at www.suntiworldart.com, and check out www.artprize.org/ for the full list of Art Prize winners.