Kumkum Fernando was born in Sri Lanka, the son of an antiques and curiosities collector. As far back as he can remember, Kumkum has been a collector as well: of stones, spoons, statues, masks, and other ancient marvels and treasures. Thousands of years of Sri Lankan culture inform Kumkum’s art, from ornate temple paintings to folktales of portals that connect us to a vast underworld of gods, giants and demons. He proudly derives inspiration from this heritage, bridging fine art and design with a deep appreciation for ancient and traditional forms. From his home base in Vietnam, Kumkum scours the streets for found materials – patterns, shapes and colors – to reanimate into art objects.
Kumkum Fernando was born in Sri Lanka, the son of an antiques and curiosities collector. As far back as he can remember, Kumkum has been a collector as well: of stones, spoons, statues, masks, and other ancient marvels and treasures. Thousands of years of Sri Lankan culture inform Kumkum’s art, from ornate temple paintings to folktales of portals that connect us to a vast underworld of gods, giants and demons. He proudly derives inspiration from this heritage, bridging fine art and design with a deep appreciation for ancient and traditional forms. From his home base in Vietnam, Kumkum scours the streets for found materials – patterns, shapes and colors – to reanimate into art objects.
Kumkum’s creations have been featured at the Singapore Art Museum and the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts. His work has appeared in numerous publications including HYPEBEAST and designboom.
The Reborn series flowered from this practice, repurposing traditional aesthetics to produce futuristic, geometric sculptures featuring time-honored East Asian painting and lacquering techniques. Equal parts action figures and idols, these vibrant deities evoke a unique spiritualism, mythology, and philosophy. Every sculpture is accompanied by a poem; a homage to the storytelling of Kumkum’s grandmother, shared with him as a child in her beloved gardens.
The Reborn series flowered from this practice, repurposing traditional aesthetics to produce futuristic, geometric sculptures featuring time-honored East Asian painting and lacquering techniques. Equal parts action figures and idols, these vibrant deities evoke a unique spiritualism, mythology, and philosophy. Every sculpture is accompanied by a poem; a homage to the storytelling of Kumkum’s grandmother, shared with him as a child in her beloved gardens.
Kumkum’s creations have been featured at the Singapore Art Museum and the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts. His work has appeared in numerous publications including HYPEBEAST and designboom.
If you are interested in purchasing these unique pieces please contact the gallery to check availability.