10 EAST 33RD STREET, NEW YORK NY 10016 (212) 279 – 2210
contact@wookgallery.com www.wookgallery.com
GERALD
PRYOR Transasia Stacks
February 10-27,
2016
WOOK CHOI GALLERY, NYC
proudly presents Gerald Pryor: Transasia Stacks an exhibition of photographs
examining a dual cultural presence as the USA and China from February 10th to
27th, 2016 with an Opening Reception on Wednesday February 10th, 2016 from 6-8
PM.
With this series Pryor addresses the issue of trans or inter
culturalism in which the presence of a multiple aesthetic and perspective
determines the visible outcome. By examining this theme Pryor hopes to witness
the unknown aspects of Chinese culture. By offsetting this culture against the
American, he points out the more obvious differences and similarities in order
to ascertain their make-up. To Pryor both locations hold great personal meaning.
He depicts specific areas of Sag Harbor, New York next to the Chinese cities of
Shanghai, Tianjin and Beijing that he has continuously visited since
1986.
The Transasia Stacks series comprises 27x40” digital photographic
prints in editions of three. One of the most poignant of these contains the
rutted snowy landscape of Sag Harbor superimposed by an image of a Guanyin in
typical flowing robes with a flame nimbus in place of a halo. Pryor’s work
offsets the earthly and the divine in an image of great beauty and transparency.
The snowy background in its nebulous shape is juxtaposed against the circular
pale blue circular shape in which the Guanyin is situated. So that, there exists
a type of push/pull between shapelessness and structure, materiality and
transparency, solid and void much like the yin and yang of the
Daodejing.
Pryor’s relationship to his surroundings is a key concept that
colors his world to a great extent. He lives in the midst of Manhattan yet in
his free time he seeks tranquility and peace in Sag Harbor, Long Island. His
meditative imagery is analogous to the Daoist ethical path that was echoed by
Walt Whitman’s pantheism in the late 19th Century. This philosophy embraces the
idea that all life, even the seemingly inert, is imbued with spirit. Daoism has
been embedded in Chinese history and tradition for many centuries and Pryor
parallels its concepts by according the landscape respect.
Pryor’s
Transasia Stacks photographic combinations result in imaginary places that
because they are of his own makings are situated beyond concrete places like
Asia or America.
Curated by: Thalia Vrachopoulos
Please
contact the gallery at contact@wookgallery.com or 212-279-2210. Or the
curator Thalia at tvrachopoulos@gmail.com or 646-344-9009 for more
information
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