"APOCATASTASIS" PANOS TSAGARIS: Brussels

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 rst sight there is a sense of disconnection between the two, both series are actually very connected – aesthetically and conceptually – by the same spiritual explorations and mystical curiosities.

Since the beginning of the nancial crisis in Greece, Tsagaris has been collecting international newspapers covers (as a New-York based artist, mostly the NY Times) that featuring photographs of the Greek crisis. Covering all other cover texts and pictures with gold leaf, Tsagaris leaves exposed the situation in Greece.

The «Golden Newspapers» series juxtaposes the transformation that Greece has been going through with the symbolic transformation of the Opus Magnum Alchemical work through which the lower being transforms into a fully developed consciousness. Life is a «puri cation» process in which we, as modern alchemists, are aiming to elevate our «impure» selves to the level where it can reunite with our “Divine” essence, resulting in both a personal and collective effort. Tsagaris uses the gold as a representation of true wealth, as opposed to material-monetary wealth, reminding us of this precious process, 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 Crisis and widen his image curation to worldwide traumatic incident. From US demonstrations against police brutality towards African-Americans to the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, Tsagaris uncovers the unbalance of the world we live in, highlighting a global need for transformation and puri cation.

Also included in the show is a series of recent abstract « Untitled » works on canvas or paper. Taking the form of ink with gold leaf drawings, these works are based on re ective installations the artists puts together in his studio, using various sized and shaped mirrors. In the mythological traditions, the mirror symbolizes the falling of the soul from divinity to materiality, from higher consciousness to lower being. At the origins of the creative process, an iPhone picture of the installation. Mirrors of our times, smart phones re ect our ego and narcissism. The picture is then blown-out and printed-out on a large black and white copy. Tsagaris then adds more mirrors and repeats the photographing and printing as many times as needed until the mirrors, exhausted, lose their re ective properties. As a transformation process, the works embody the puri cation of our collective being towards the better. A ode to 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, setting no limit to perfection.