Southern Expressionism and the Spirit of Zen
From Student Link
Southern Expressionism and the Spirit of Zen by Paul Dagys
Paul Dagys is a photographer interested in grasping the essence of the Southern experience. His exhibition will propose photographs that depict the way individuals express themselves and their vitality. This project involves photographs that draw attention to faces, to the way individuals embellish their vehicles and homes, to small business signs and even to tombstones. In conjunction with these images, the artist expresses his interest in Zen by using the images as a mode to enlighten and capture the spirit.
Artist's statement:
The art of photography is my passion. There is no other medium which conveys so well the immediacy and the essence of life.
Perhaps, as Thoreau said, the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. Perhaps what they seek is the American dream. According to actress Ultra Violet: “The American dream is the dollar sign, the fame, the beauty, Marilyn Monroe, the flowery lifestyle, the smile, the glamour...”
For me, these are the passions of youth. I confess, I too, celebrate them and partake of them, yet I also study those who have dedicated themselves to the quest for meaning.
Some photographers choose to pursue the extraordinary moments, celebrities, triumphs and tragedies, some seek to express the notion that every moment can be sacred or profound... can be a part of what some call “the eternal now”, which seems appropriate to photography. Unlike writers or painters who can produce works about the future or the past, we can only photograph what is here now.
The best photographers are in synch with the present. They wonder at life's little mistakes & miracles... searching for a certain kind of beauty... beauty which, by appearing plain & natural, gives us hope that we too may be beautiful.
Exhibition Proposal:
The art of photography is my passion. There is no other medium which conveys so well the immediacy and the essence of life.
Perhaps, as Thoreau said, the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. Perhaps what they seek is the American dream. According to actress Ultra Violet: “The American dream is the dollar sign, the fame, the beauty, Marilyn Monroe, the flowery lifestyle, the smile, the glamour...”
For me, these are the passions of youth. I confess, I too, celebrate them and partake of them, yet I also study those who have dedicated themselves to the quest for meaning.
Some photographers choose to pursue the extraordinary moments, celebrities, triumphs and tragedies, some seek to express the notion that every moment can be sacred or profound... can be a part of what some call “the eternal now”, which seems appropriate to photography. Unlike writers or painters who can produce works about the future or the past, we can only photograph what is here now.
The best photographers are in synch with the present. They wonder at life's little mistakes & miracles... searching for a certain kind of beauty... beauty which, by appearing plain & natural, gives us hope that we too may be beautiful.
