Press Release
Exhibition: THE ART OF CONVERSATIONS
Showing: JUNE 3RD 2015 - JULY 2015
Paul Ecke’s newest works encompass the nuances of the word conversations. A conversation in its purest sense is the ideal form of communication because it allows for the element of dialogue to enter where dissimilar points of view can be raised and engaged upon. For a successful conversation, there must a sense of balance and mutually interesting connections. Here is where Ecke’s newest series excels in its complexity.
Where his “Fractals” suite emphasized the power of singular thought placed into the form of prayer, “Conversations” delves into the richness of dialogue with others and oneself. This has been a very personal journey for Ecke, as he has had to confront illness this past year. This path has allowed him to touch a more empathetic and patient part of himself.
Each painting is titled conversation as one is not more important than the others nor is there a beginning or end. Instead Ecke asks the viewer to walk along his path where sometimes in the quiet moments of waiting, which he inscribes on many of the works, he finds answers greater than himself.
The childlike drawings impart a sense of whimsy and playfulness but on a deeper more intuitive level these show the psychological affect that sickness has not only on the body but also on one’s spirit. Ecke travels back to a child’s interpretation of safety with the entrance of the circle. The form becomes a symbol of unity, completeness and wellness. In many ways it harkens back to the comfort of the womb and the safety of a mother’s caressing arms.
Throughout the works there is the element of words. It is through language that man separates himself from the animal kingdom. Words can harm and at the same time words can also create. In breaking down the letters and then building them up again, Ecke breathes new life and a new beginning into these letters. He asks us to question not only outwardly for meaning but inwardly. For only in understanding ourselves can we grasp the universe beyond. And in coming to the beauty within then can we bring wholeness and kindness to others.
