Vipoo Srivilasa is included in The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art at Queensland Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, with his work Shrine of Life 2021.
Srivilasa has created a reflective space for visitors to celebrate five important attributes: identity, love equality, spirituality, creativity and security. The structure, which is scented with jasmine, is inspired by the Lak Mueang shrine in Bangkok, which the artist visited before moving to Australia. The shrine is marked by its white and gold architecture, and is protected by five deities - a significant number in Buddhist culture.
Visitors were invited to celebrate and share memories by offering a white paper flower to a chosen deity. In this action, boundaries between artwork, public architecture, performance, faith, and culture are dissolved.
Shrine of Life venerates memories of the artist’s homeland, reflects on the effects of relocating to Australia from Thailand and importantly, encourages audiences to appreciate our commonalities and our differences.
