"APOCATASTASIS" Stems Gallery, Brussels 2016 (solo) — Panos Tsagaris "Panos Tsagaris"

“APOCATASTASIS”

STEMS Gallery, Brussels 2016

apocatastasis: plural apocatasta·ses or apokatasta·ses\- sēz\:restitution,restoration; especially: the doctrine of the final restoration of all sinful beings to God and to the state of blessedness.

Stems Gallery is pleased to introduce apocatastasis, a solo show by New-York based, Greek artist, Panos Tsagaris.

The exhibition features two series of works, the «Golden Newspapers» works on paper as well as a group of abstract paintings. While at first sight there is a sense of disconnection between the two, both series are actually, aesthetically and conceptually, connected by the same symbolic language and core messages.
Since the beginning of the social-economical crisis in Greece, Tsagaris has been collecting international newspaper covers (primarily from the NYTimes since he is based in NY) that featured photographs from the Greek crisis. Covering all other cover texts and pictures with gold leaf, Tsagaris leaves exposed only the central image.
The «Golden Newspapers» series juxtaposes the transformation that the artist's home country has been going through with the symbolic transformation of the Alchemical Magnum Opus (The Great Work) process, during which prima materia (low consciousness) transmutes into the "Philosopher's Stone" (high consciousness).

Life is a "purification" process in which we, as modern alchemists, attempt to elevate ourselves to the level where we can recognize and reunite with our “Divine” essence; towards this goal we work in an individual as well as in a collective level.

Tsagaris uses the gold in his artworks in reference to this transformative process, a symbol of inner and eternal wealth, as opposed to material-monetary wealth; a constant reminder of the ultimate goal which is the awakened consciousness of the individual and of the whole.
At the core of the show are a series of revealing pieces – "The Union IV" triptych, "November 23 2015", "November 17 2015" and "November 15 2015". Over time, Tsagaris goes beyond the Greek Socio-political crisis and widens his focal point to worldwide traumatic incidents. From the demonstrations in the USA against police brutality towards African-Americans to the recent terrorist attacks in Paris; Tsagaris highlights the overall disequilibration of the world we currently live in, exposing the urgency for a global transformation towards a more just and balanced society.
Also included in the show is a series of recent mixed media works on canvas. These works are based on ephemeral installations the artist puts together in his studio, using various sized and shaped mirrors. In various mythological and mystical traditions, the mirror symbolizes the falling of the soul from divinity to materiality, from higher to lower consciousness. He then photographs those installations using his iPhone, the contemporary mirror-through which our ego and narcissism gets captured and reflected back to us. These photographs then get printed in large photocopies, Tsagaris then adds more mirrors and repeats the photographing and printing process multiple times until the mirrors lose their reflective properties. He then silkscreen those images onto the canvas. The overlapping of the prints during the silk screening process creates new forms and shapes. He continues the painting process by adding and highlighting certain parts using acrylic paint and ink, finally he covers in gold a few selected areas of the painting. This elaborate "build-up" process, gives these paintings their distinctive texture and multi-layered surface.

The works of this exhibition in their totality aim to embody the need and desire of our collective being towards the better. An ode to a perpetual change for the better, perfecting ourselves unremittingly, and never attaining the limit of perfection. This indeed is perfection: never to stop increasing in the good.