amobilicud humanum est - balm & thermae of ulteria - multiple | ®2006 | courtesy of galerie cd christine de ketelaere - tielt, belgium |
this self-made massage balm was meant to be part of the installation that i set up at this gallery. the balm that i produced is based on a real old recipe that i retrieved from historic documents. the basic ingredient of this balm was an oil derived from pinus pinea tree. this balm was used by people visiting the particular but not famous thermae of ulteria to alleviate the leg pains and fatigues caused by long distance walks. (...).

The ancient Thermae of Ulteria, (or commonly called spa resort) though short-lived in its existence (they were open and functioning for a period of about 4 years only, around 244 A.D.) became pretty popular at that time thanks to the particular locations where they had been set up. This location, a road which to these days is seen as one of the most beautiful ancient road in Rome, was born on a major arteria that gave access to the city to a continuous influx of pilgrims visiting the city, merchants, street vendors, travelers, immigrants, soldiers, and yes, also tourists of the time. The most particular aspect of this spa resort however was that besides the folk mentioned above, here one had a chance to meet with some of the less famous artists, poets, writers, philosophers, thinkers an even charlatans of the time. These people used to gather together in this Thermae and discuss about the politics, the arts, the cultural activities and more that entertained and delighted the rich residents of Rome.(......), in this Thermae some particular findings were brought to light during excavation across this area in the late years of 1800. These discoveries consisted in texts and/or simple graffiti inscribed in the stones and walls, in and around the bath location.(......), some of the texts and the somewhat funny nature of them, which I have retrieved from this archeological site, have been of basic inspiration for me to device this project for both Sint Laureins and Galerie CD, Tielt, (Belgium).

Moreover, in the Galerie CD, one will not only find Latin texts(drawings) with clear reference to old proverbs derived from the Latin language, but also a small challenge for the visitors to unravel in them some very tiny mysteries.

The neon-text in the front room of the gallery ( amobilicud humanum est ) hides in the first word, (which apparently sounds to be a real Latin one) a word that it is still Latin but, it has been mix matched in the letters. By juxtaposing the letters in the right way, that is, by anagramming those letters, one will find the key word to the understanding of this neon-work and to its "strict" reference to humankind and life.