Unit 2
🔘 archive project 🔘 ‘‘Wax casts of hands’’ workshop 🔘 artists
Artists
--- Healing Artist Bianca Bondi ---
In my artistic practice, I have always been deeply interested in ecology and spirituality, and I strive to explore how to combine these two elements to create art with healing power. Recently, I conducted an in-depth study of the artist Bianca Bondi, whose work resonates and inspires me greatly.
# Bondi’s Artistic Background
Bianca Bondi was born in 1986 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her work is often filled with spirituality and poetry, particularly in her use of salt, life, and natural elements, which makes her art unique. Bondi is like a modern-day sorceress, able to transform ordinary materials into magical artworks. Her passion for ecology and mysticism is vividly expressed in her creations.
# Bondi’s Notable Works
In her installation "Day Dream," Bondi uses natural elements such as salt and water to create a fantastical fountain installation. This work comprises ten colourful water basins covered with salt, with moss-covered branches suspended above. The vibrant water surfaces remain still, as if brewing a magical moment. This installation is not only visually captivating but also conveys profound ecological and spiritual significance through the combination of chemical reactions and natural materials.
The Daydream, 2021, for Open space #8, Fondation Louis Vuitton cur. Claire Staebler, Ludovic Delalande © Fondation Louis Vuitton, Paris
# The Fusion of Spirituality and Ecology in Bondi’s Work
Bondi’s love for ecology and mysticism infuses her work with vitality and a sense of enchantment. Her installation art, which uses chemical reactions and natural materials, creates an immersive sensory experience. Bondi’s pieces are not just visual delights but also spiritual and emotional journeys. Through her art, we can reassess nature and life, experiencing a deeper sense of connection and understanding.
# Self-Reflection and Inspiration
In studying Bondi’s work, I was deeply attracted by how she transforms ordinary materials into spiritually rich artworks. This has inspired me to think about how to better integrate electronic witchcraft and plant alchemy in my project, "Ethereal Herbal Invocation." Bondi’s use of salt and plants in her creations showcases the endless possibilities of natural materials in art.
In "Ethereal Herbal Invocation," I use the four classical alchemical elements (air, water, fire, earth) and corresponding herbs (lavender, chamomile, marigold, mugwort) to create a new healing experience on a digital platform. Through this approach, I hope the audience can not only appreciate the beauty of nature visually but also find inner peace and a sense of belonging spiritually.Bondi’s artistic practice emphasises the magical power and potential of natural materials, which aligns perfectly with my research direction. Her work inspires me to explore the deep connections between humans and nature, technology and spirituality, through art and technology, providing a new method of spiritual and psychological healing for modern people.
Through my research on Bianca Bondi, I have enriched my own artistic practice and found more inspiration for combining ecology and spirituality in my creations. Her work strengthens my belief that art can be a healing force and an important bridge connecting humans with nature.
--- Teresa Fernández-Pello ---
Electronic Witchcraft is a modern metaphysical cultural phenomenon that is spread and practiced through virtual internet platforms. This phenomenon combines elements of traditional witchcraft with modern digital technology, allowing witchcraft practices to continue and evolve in the virtual space. Electronic witchcraft involves not only online spells and rituals but also digital symbols, virtual altars, and interactions within online communities.
As an artist dedicated to exploring the intersection of technology and spirituality, Teresa Fernández-Pello’s works have captivated me and provided rich inspiration for my creations. Her works explore how emerging technologies alter our interactions with and perceptions of the world, resonating deeply with my exploration in the project “Ethereal Herbal Invocation.”
# Artist Profile
Teresa Fernández-Pello is a contemporary artist whose creations revolve around themes of technology and spirituality. Her works use old electronic devices, digital media, and geometric patterns to construct a networked belief system. Her art is visually stunning, delving into the complex relationship between modern technology and traditional spirituality through electronic systems and optical effects.
# Artwork Analysis
‘‘The Heart of the Hurt’’
“The Heart of the Hurt” is one of Teresa Fernández-Pello’s signature works. In this piece, she creates an altarpiece using specific digital technologies and electronic systems. These old electronic devices are deconstructed and rearranged into geometric patterns, forming a network that outputs rhythmic light and vibration flows. This approach views everyday technology as a reflection of our belief systems, serving as a medium to explore and reveal relationships within the realm of contemporary human activities.
Neo- Altarpiece, 250 x 200 x 60 cm, Polyester resin, acrylic, electronic components, e-waste
Fusion of Inspiration and Technology: Her work demonstrates how emerging technologies shape and influence our belief systems. By rearranging and combining old electronic devices, she creates a new context, prompting viewers to reconsider the role of technology in modern society.
- Interaction and Perception: The piece engages viewers’ senses through rhythmic changes in light and vibration. She uses these elements to blur the boundaries between traditional art and modern technology, offering viewers an immersive experience.
In the project “Ethereal Herbal Invocation,” I aim to combine plant alchemy with digital witchcraft to create art installations with healing and spiritual effects. In this process, I have drawn significant inspiration from Teresa Fernández-Pello.
- Integration of Spirituality and Technology: Like Teresa, I am also exploring the integration of spirituality and technology. Her belief system, constructed from old electronic devices, inspires me to think about how to combine the healing power of traditional herbs with modern digital technology to create a new form of art.
- Interaction and Immersion: Teresa’s works, with their interactive elements of light and vibration, provide viewers with an immersive experience. This motivates me to use digital projections in “Ethereal Herbal Invocation” to offer an immersive experience to the audience.
- Reconstruction of Belief Systems: She rearranges electronic devices into geometric patterns, forming a new belief system. This encourages me to use plants and digital technology to create modern witchcraft rituals in “Ethereal Herbal Invocation.” We are both exploring and reconstructing traditional belief systems through art, revealing the deep connections between modern technology and spirituality.