The American artist Thomas Kinkade (1958–2012), also known as “The Painter of Light”, is celebrated for his luminous candy-coloured landscapes and especially for his trademark paintings of cosy cottages. In his lifetime, he was one of the most highly collected artists – his paintings found a place in one American home out of every 20.
KINKADE IN HEAVEN
Before I met Thomas Kinkade, I had an intuitive sense that there was more to him than met the eye. I felt that deep within him was a concealed dark prankster. There was no way I could have intuited this from any outward signs – I just knew it. I believe that on account of this, when we met, we understood each other. One prankster recognises another. That is why in 2004, when I proposed my radical idea for a Kinkade retrospective exhibition entitled Heaven on Earth at the CSUF Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana, California, I met with no pushback whatsoever. I had free reign to do anything I wanted to with the show. I believe Kinkade saw the convoluted absurdity of my plan – and he relished it. He understood that no matter how outrageous I would be with the show, it could only benefit him. The more unconventional I was with the installation, the more hip he would look for allowing me to do it. He couldn’t lose. For perhaps the first time, he was taken seriously by the art world.
In the exhibition, I organised all the Kinkade objects into a series of themed installations. Two Kinkade libraries displayed hundreds of his publications and a theatre played his promotional videos. His innumerable branded products were arranged into cosy installations including a living room, dining room, bedroom, and a Christmas scene with a 12ft (3.7m) Christmas tree. The Kinkade Chapel featured his Christian works among rows of pews. A room was dedicated to
