Hurrah. When I finish this I have 3 more ‘art’ posts to go. Eek.

Firstly: the writing.

3b) Name another of Boonma’s work, and describe with the aid of a diagram the work’s subject matter, and the significance of his use of materials.

Montien Boonma is also a devout Buddhist, and his religion, along with his belief that all should be clear of their position in their religion, has allowed Thai Buddhism to become a major influence in his works. One such work is Lotus Sound, 1992.

<drew a rough sketch here>

This installation is made up of terracotta bells and other found media, often featuring a golden lotus bursting through the porous walls of terracotta bells. The bells are a motif frequently used by the artist, with holes between bells to give a glimpse of the protected space inside that cannot be physically reached.

The curved wall of terracotta bells is so repetitive; it looks almost like a mantra repeating again and again, like a Prayer to the Buddha, allowing one to sink into a state of meditation where one can attain peace and enlightenment and thus be freed of the cycle of rebirth, a belief in Thai Buddhism. It plays with the idea of negative and positive, the transparent yet opaque by using bells and space to form the porous wall.

The use of bells is typical of the artist, who prefers to use ready made, or easily found, objects in the environment. In this case, bells are easily found in Thai temples, making the public installation almost a private place for prayer and meditation instead. The porous wall feels almost alive, like a human ribcage that encases air within and this gives life. The lotus is yet a symbol of hope, springing through the wall, a promise of a journey of the mind and release if one devoutly meditates and prays. The silence during meditation and prayer becomes a tangible sound in this installation instead, perhaps more effective then any other sounds, such as sounds of bells.

7.5/10 (before editing)