Von Kommanivanh

Born 1979 in Vientiane, Laos

 

Through the act of painting, I find images are revealed to me as they mix with issues from my unresolved past. My sources of inspiration include family photos, graffiti, detritus, and daily life struggles. My use of lines and chaotic patterns helps to steer my work away from the decorative.

 

I believe art making documents our current time and conditions. I’m always striving for balance while exploring the forces of good and evil, yin and yang. I aim to create a reality in which the viewer can live in a point of time where being a dwarf of society through race or class does not equal irrelevance. My intention is to promote an active awareness of socio-political issues and to stimulate the viewer’s frame of mind. Yet, I see my work as telling stories as if on mute. I want to create a reality check for the viewer.



Von Kommanivanh, Nuc OFF, mixed media on canvas, 2008