The works in HOLY FIRE were created during Paul McLachlan’s three-month art residency in Bangkok, which was supported by the Asia New Zealand Foundation. Drawn from his explorations of the city through temples, galleries, museums and the streets, these images focus on the permeable membrane that separates the spiritual world from the everyday; a focus on a spiritual climate that saturates the whole of Bangkok city life. This project has been informed by experiences, exchanges, conversations and relationships cultivated during his time at Art Hof in Phra Khanong.

Each image is built-up using plein air drawings, photographs, portraits of friends, found imagery and natural scenes. Graphic black and white shapes have been utilised to form lyrical and poetic worlds that slip between light and dark and positive and negative space, while drawing on Thai art conventions. Most notably, the nang yai arts (shadow puppets), which use light and silhouettes to illustrate the epic Ramakien narratives, and the black line-work of the gold leaf and lacquer panels of the Ayutthaya period; decorative and allegorical depictions of paradise-like natural worlds.

The prints in this exhibition were printed upon returning to New Zealand using a photo-lithograph process at the University of Canterbury. McLachlan’s residency is chronicled at www.paulmclachlan.co.nz/blog.

These prints have been printed within an edition, multiples of each can be acquired.

Please enquire with the gallery at: gallery@chambersart.co.nz