Passage: Inner Space, Outer Mind

Backwoods Gallery
25 Easey Street
Collingwood
VIC 3066

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Photography - Dan Preston / Byron Kehoe

The ubiquity of the arch is testament to its power and rich symbolism. Architecturally it embodies strength - a perfect balance of fluidity and solidity. Both harmonious and symmetrical. It is not surprising then that the arch or portal has been used as a symbol of protection and sanctuary in both secular and non-secular contexts around the world. As a doorway or passage the arch presents a duality. The semi-circle roof, a symbol of the divine, opens to the heavens, presenting protection and elevation. On either side, acting as a bridge between realms, are two vertical pillars supporting the roof that represent foundation and a connection to the earth. In Greek mythology this duality would be defined as Chronos, the physical world and Kairos, the spiritual world. Passing through can mean entering a higher realm, the possibility of something new, but in order to do so one must also choose to let go of the space they currently inhabit, both physically and mentally.

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               “The man who comes back through the Door in the Wall will never be quite the same as the man who went out. He will be wiser but less sure, happier but less self-satisfied, humbler in acknowledging his ignorance yet better equipped to understand the relationship of words to things, of systematic reasoning to the unfathomable mystery which it tries, forever vainly, to comprehend” – Aldous Huxley

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               Drawn to its complex symbolism and rich historical application, Taj ‘Deams’ Alexander presents a body of neo-spiritual portals that investigate the door between what is known and seen and what could be known that may be unseen. Shrouded in mystery the arch presents both vessel and passage, a bridge between the artists inner space and the outer world. Charged with terrestrial texture and luminescent colour the works are both energetic and serene. The collection is built around ‘movements’ of work that reference past, present and future ideas through distinct sets. Presented as such they demonstrate the interconnectedness of the artist’s enquiries as a unified narrative while also offering insight into our relationship with the arch as an enduring symbol within our culture.