Yes Thank You - Curatorial Statement

Wednesday, December 31, 2008 ::

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by: Tom Estlack - Wednesday, December 31, 2008

"Yes. Thank You." is from a series of breathing meditations by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. "Yes. Thank You" is the first in the series of breathing meditations, where the practitioner will inhale and say "Yes," to what life has to offer. Upon breathing out, the practitioner says, "Thank You," affirming gratitude to the world for having offered it. "The world" could be God, the Tao, the Universe (insert your "cosmic awareness" variable here). This meditation expresses how art is a part of our daily life. It's so integrated that, (like breathing) we can often overlook its importance.

This exhibition is staged during a time when there is much paranoia in the media. Some issues are conflagrated perceptions of problems people are confronted with. Some seemingly abstract phenomena, like the economy, are very real situations that are presented as very rude awakenings, as they affect our livelihoods.

In this context, it is more important than ever to connect to the arts, archetypes, and stories that can help inform us about the triumphs and struggles that make life worth living. In my opinion, there is no better way to do this than to spend lots of time with great works of art.

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"Yes, Thank You"
Exhibition Catalog
2009
Tom Estlack

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