Opening of Vivera Mori at Faculty of Fine Art Gallery, CMU

September 1

Opening of Vivera Mori by Ian Bonde at Faculty of Fine Art Gallery, Chiang Mai University.
Vivera Mori by Ian Bonde – an artist from Tasmania, Australia explains “I have exhibited over 100 shows in Europe, SE Asian and Australia. I have done 16 residencies in many countries over the past 30 years with many in Thailand, including Chiang Mai five times. My latest work entitled Vivera Mori includes an installation of objects and mixed media works on paper centred around concepts relating to the journey of life”
The title for this show is a stylisation of the Latin vivere est mori”, which literally translates as, ‘to live is to die’, a fatalistic view of life and living described as a linear and inevitable march towards death. My version both references the title from a previous show and offers a poetic hybridisation of the words, fusing the terminology into a single state of being. Vivera Mori is the fourth in a series of related solo exhibitions shown whilst in Thailand as guest International lecturer/artist. The original catalyst for my artworks came from a chance encounter and exploration of an abandoned premises with two unfinished and dilapidated ‘ghost buildings’ near the north west corner of old Chiang Mai city. Appearing as ‘ornate pastiches of Baroque style’, the properties were seen as vulgar displays of wealth, competing in height with the nearby temples and local architectural styles. Built on land considered to be bad ‘Feng Shui’ by the locals, the venture was seen as doomed to failure. Research revealed a financial collapse and violent family murder at the hands of the owner, a local real estate tycoon. Believed to be inhabited by ghosts of the unfortunate victims, the property had been neglected and derelict for over 20 years until renovated as a boutique hotel.
Exhibition on display from 1 – 15 September Monday – Friday – 9am until 4pm for further info ifbonde@yahoo.com.au