Saturday, February 14, 2009

Messengers in Monochrome

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The winged messenger of the Gods is a common motive of religions world wide throughout the ages. In his second offering of photographic constructions “The Passing of Light II: Book of Illumination”, Emmanuel Santos presents a cavalcade of earthly manifestations of these celestial visitations.

Through careful darkroom manipulations Santos combines studio and location shots to create intriguing parables that resonate in a 21st Century world. His choice of monochromatic presentation give these works a timeless feel, at times almost like found objects from another age. For each of the 30 works is an object in its own right, the hallmark of good art, rather than the recording of an object. And, although a particular piece may speak specifically to you, the overwhelming power of this suite of photographs comes from the sum of its individual parts.

With its multitude of references both mythological and from the history of art, viewing Santos’ art is a journey from the Renaissance to the modern day. From the light that illuminates from within via the exploration of multicultural references to the confrontation of the personal, these photographs require multiple viewings to discover all of their revelations. That Santos’ angels narrate an optimistic message that underpins this widely traveled artist’s world view is an added incentive.

“The Passing of Light II: Book of Illumination” is at Silverlens main gallery until the 14th March at 2320 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City, for more information go to www.silverlensphoto.com.

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