Bianca Bondi’s work is influenced by natural elements, diverse cultures and the energies that surround us. Her large scale installations are beautiful displays into research concerned with new age healing practices, animism and spiritualism, which explore our gap between reality and the so-called invisible world. Heavily inspired by the world around us and the cycle of life, rebirth and death, Bianca is concerned with the aura around us. We spoke with her about energy, ecology and immersive installation.
When did you first know that you wanted to be an artist?
Growing up I understood that being an artist implied being particularly talented in conventional art making or having something special to say. I was concerned by neither, but I was intrigued by the power of aesthetics and freedom that art held. I was captivated by the stories in art history. When I finished seven years of studying art I wanted to work in the industry but on the non-artistic side, but I realised that if I didn’t make art again I would miss it.
Where do you take your inspiration from?
My inspiration comes from a need to better understand my own psychology and the world around me. I draw inspiration from death, life, rebirth and the rituals associated with them. Materials inspire me, the way they live and vibrate, sweat and change; the stories raw matter and used objects tell us. How all matter is composed of waves, how all objects have aura. I am inspired by what can be felt but not seen, what is said but not spoken, by how repulsion can be attraction… by transformation, cycles – the Earth inspires me, nature blows my mind. I draw inspiration from having studied the occult sciences and an interest in new age healing.
Your work is influenced by energy, can you tell us about that?
I wouldn’t say influenced by energy but rather that my work honors energy. The notion that all matter is alive and vibrates beyond human perception and that energy transferral is inevitable so that assumed loss is only a change of states – sometimes simply beyond the visible.
Your work has an ecological aspect to it, why do you think it’s important for artist’s to draw attention to the environment?
Artists generally tend to have a non linear way of navigating the world, of reinventing daily life outside of classic social structures. If we have any hope to save our species in our current human form we need to tackle the ecological catastrophes that are upon us from inside as well as outside of the box.
A lot of your work is large scale and immersive, how do you want people to feel when they connect with your work?
That their imagination and subconscious are being activated.
What are you working on at the moment?
A 13m whale skeleton in a scintillating state of limbo for the summer show at La Fondation Carmignac curated by Chris Sharp. A temple of humble spirit food rooms for my upcoming solo show in Nantes over the summer as well. And my very first solo show with Mor Charpentier in May, but I will hang that show on a note of mystery for now.
What are your plans and hopes for the future?
The near future would be to be able to visit my mom and sister in Cape Town for an extended sea break and introduce them to the incredible man I’ve met. And a future dream would be to finally combine my home and studio in a place that has a wild garden and then eventually move to a tropical climate surrounded by a caring, like-minded and inspiring community and feel like human kind is going in the right direction.
