GENESIS
By MARI CALAI
September 21 - November 10
Photoworks is pleased to announce the opening exhibit
of Artist in Residence, Mari Calai.
Opening Reception | Saturday | Sept 21
4-6pm at Photoworks
Meet and Greet | Sunday | Sept 29
1-2pm at Photoworks
Platinum/Palladium Demo 2-3pm at Photoworks
Sound Bath & Photograms Demo | Saturday | Oct12th
1-3pm at Photoworks
GENESIS combines my resonance with sacred geometry found in both the natural and constructed world, with symbols of my familiar roots represented by heirloom doilies made by my mother. The golden spiral is a geometric way to represent the Fibonacci series, often associated with balance and harmony. These geometric patterns are believed to be the building blocks of the Universe. This body of work weaves all the above mentioned into a cohesive whole with one of my believes ’as above so below’, the idea that what we are on the inside will be created in the word around us.
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When creating pieces that are aesthetically self-sufficient and true to my visual language, my hope is to also challenge viewers to think beyond what is immediately perceptible. Each of my works tell a story as I approach my craft with a life-long learning lens. While making cyanotypes, silver gelatin and platinum palladium prints, oil paintings and collages, I use different mediums, from vintage film cameras to digital cameras, handmade papers, canvases, wood, memorabilia, oils, charcoal and ink. The media and techniques often change based on my project, but my curiosity and passion to create remain the same. I welcome experimentation, especially in alternative photographic processes, since imperfection plays an integral part in my work. My latest work embodies kintsugi, the Japanese art of putting pieces together using gold emphasizing the beauty of imperfection.
​Mari Calai was born and raised in Bucharest, Romania, and has lived in Venice, Italy and Seoul, S. Korea. She currently lives and works in Falls Church, Virginia, with her family. For the past 20 years, Mari has been traveling the world exploring life’s fleeting moments, the magic present at every corner, and life’s challenges. She studied photography at The New York Institute of Photography, and she is an international award-winning artist with her most recent exhibitions in Seoul, S. Korea, New York City, and Washington D.C. area.
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Mari’s artistic approach was influenced and altered by her study of drawing and painting, always testing the boundaries between them. She works with landscape, abstract and still life. Her artworks are held in private collections all around the world.
Interview with Mari
Q: What has your journey as an artist been like? How were you introduced to photography and hand made photo processes?
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My journey as an artist started many years ago, but it really bloomed six years ago when I lived in Seoul, South Korea, and had my first photography and painting solo shows. In Seoul I also learned how to develop silver gelatin prints in a darkroom. When I moved back from Korea, I continued to develop in the darkroom at Photoworks. Two years ago I took a Platinum/Palladium class with Scott Davis and I immediately joined the Alternative Printing Processes group at Photoworks, led by Mac Cosgrove Davies. It's a wonderful group full of talented people. Another highlight of my artistic journey was learning from Beylnam Yoo, Lynn Radeka, and having my last book “Dor” reviewed by Sylvia Plachy. I’ll never forget people who enriched my career.
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Q: Where do you draw inspiration from?
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Mostly from nature, but also my life in general. My multicultural upbringing, rooted in Romania, the US, Italy and South Korea significantly influenced my outlook on life. The combination of experiences shaped my unique perspective.
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Q: What is this body of work about?
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Genesis combines my resonance with sacred geometry found in both the natural and constructed world, with symbols of my familiar roots represented by heirloom doilies made by my mother. This body of work weaves into a cohesive whole with one of my beliefs, "as above so below,” the philosophical approach that what we are on the inside will be created in the world around us. The viewer is encouraged and invited to interpret my work with their own cultural and educational upbringing. Sacred geometry in nature is not only about its magical beauty. The two bodies of works in Genesis use 1800s analogue printing processes, some of them (the painterly silver gelatin prints) push the boundaries of photographic convention.
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Q: Is there a story you're trying to tell as an artist?
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Absolutely. Each body of work in my portfolio has a story, and perhaps a message, but I've always left room for the viewer to take in their own interpretation of things. That's what makes art so special.
Q: What have been your biggest struggles in your career as an artist?
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Maybe splitting my time between making art and the commercial part of it (sales, marketing), but I don't see it necessarily as a struggle, rather an opportunity to learn more.
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Q: Any advice to fellow artists?
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Keep creating everyday and don't be afraid to experiment with your creations. Mostly, be authentic by listening to your own voice. To quote one of my favorite artists, C. Brancusi, “nothing grows well in the shade of a big tree.”
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Q: What drew you to use the materials that you use in your prints, such as Japanese papers and gold leaf?
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For most of my silver gelatin prints I use Hahnemuhle-paper. In Japan and Korea I learned to appreciate that a work must really be on the paper. I've seen the way Japanese Gampi and Korean Hanji papers are made, the efforts and material used to make these unique papers. Time is also involved, which is another element I use in most of my works. You can see the fiber of the paper in the printed photograph and it becomes one single object. That is what I like about it, you make an object and not just a print.
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The warmth of the gold in these works emphasizes the idea of the present moment, the concept of 'inc et nunc,’ used in my previous works, Nothing Gold can stay. The process of gilding has been used for centuries to enhance the beauty of art and decorative objects (kintsugi is one of them). Also, growing up in Romania, I was exposed to Orthodox churches; the backgrounds, the halos, threads and rays of gold are examples of the role of gold in icons (a symbol of God's invisible presence and connection between earth and heaven). Also, living in Asia brought this element to my attention. Gold, the color of the sun, and the color of the Divine world, is a symbol of purity, eternity and considered the color of colours.
Q: Do you have any daily rituals that help your creativity flow? Do you practice meditation or any mindfulness techniques?
Most days I start my day with meditation. Then I make coffee, have breakfast with my family and take a short walk in the woods behind my house. Being intentional about how I want my day to go, forces me to slow down and connect with what I’m doing. Then I go into my studio (or darkroom) and start working. Being in the darkroom is very meditative for me. I recently learned about sound healing with ancient instruments and Reiki, which I practice almost every day. My recent trip to Mt. Kurama in Japan enforced that very much.
Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?
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I hope to become a better human being and continue to focus on exploring and creating, which I know is something that builds over time.