Jrn Middelborg from Thavibu Gallery is a person from whom we can learn the Heart of Art.

Jrn's got a fascinating background. He moved to Thailand in 1994 to take up his position at UNESCO (United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization). He worked with UNESCO for a number of years in the area of non-formal education. His work involved developing programs and materials to improve adult education in countries in Asia and the Pacific.

Jrn observes that there are millions of adults who are illiterate and semi-literate in the region. “It's so important to have programs and materials that cater to adults who have not been included in the formal education system. We had much success, especially in countries that had been rather isolated and started to open up,” he says.

His decision to establish Thavibu Gallery was born out of a long-term interest in art in its widest sense, not just visual art. Working for UNESCO took him around Asia, and he saw art by many promising artists whose works he wanted to bring out to a wider audience. When the internet started in mid 1990s, he saw it as a great opportunity.

Thavibu Gallery ( www.thavibu.com ) has been a pioneer on the gallery scene in Bangkok in three areas. It was the first gallery that specialised in contemporary art from the three countries—Thailand, Vietnam and Burma—hence the gallery's name. The second area is the early adoption of the internet. From the very beginning, Jrn recognised the potential and power of the internet, and the website has been an important and integral part of the gallery all the way. The third area is the publication of high quality books on Southeast Asian art.

Jrn's Buy1GIVE1Free experience is up-lifting. When you invest in a work of art from Thavibu, you're automatically giving to St Nicholas' Home for the Blind to provide one blind person with accommodation for at least one month during their training. People who've lost their sight suddenly cannot really live a normal life without this training.

Jrn puts it this way:

Some times art is about beauty,
at other times the conceptual part is important.

The messages that conceptual art conveys often inspire me.
Other times, it can be intellectually challenging art,
or art that conveys pure beauty.

Every piece of art has a message.

I am glad that Thavibu Gallery decided to be a part of Buy1GIVE1Free where each art work sold
makes a real difference to someone
who cannot see through their own eyes.”

The real heart of art can be the expression of each one of us. We are all artists in our own lives, painting the picture of each moment.

The moment we start sharing the real art of giving with others, our own picture becomes more clear, even more colourful and even more inspiring.