Co|So Exhibitions :: Beauty of Burma by Doug Adams

The Copley Society is proud to present Beauty of Burma, a collection of photographs by Doug Adams at Boston Private Bank in the Prudential Center. Doug’s work takes the viewer on an international journey, exploring the incredible architecture of Southeast Asia’s Myanmar.  His photographs capture the meditative beauty and peaceful serenity of Bagan temples at their most spectacular moments. 

Doug Adams, Temples at Sunrise (Burma), 28 x 18, photograph.

The exhibition provides insight into the area’s history and the magnificence of modern day Myanmar.  Over 4,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries were constructed across the ancient Pagan Empire’s capital city, Bagan, between the 11^th and 13^th centuries.  Today, roughly half of these structures still stand, making the city a world-renowned pilgrimage and spiritual tourism destination.

Doug Adams, Burma Sunset, 29 x 22 1/2, photograph.

Doug’s Burma Sunset offers a look into the challenges of building in Bagan, which is located in the “dry zone” of Burma: a desert-like area characterized by high temperatures, little rainfall and high winds.  Over time, these winds have eroded the elaborate stucco and wood designs that once adorned the region’s religious relics.  The image artfully captures the aridity of Bagan, punctuated with the spiritual oasis of temple architecture. 

Doug Adams, Bagan Sunrise, 26 x 36, photograph.

The stunning piece Bagan Sunrise displays the majesty and ethereal qualities of Burma.  The sun illuminates the misty morning fog, creating a cloud-like tapestry through which holy temples and bonsai trees emerge to greet the new day.  Adding to the spectacle, hot air balloons metaphorically mirror the viewer’s enlightening experience as they float through the air.

Come join us in the Prudential Center and allow yourself to experience the spiritual and architectural beauty of Myanmar. The exhibit will run through November 1, 2014, and can be viewed online here. We look forward to seeing you in the gallery soon!

Co|So Exhibitions:: GRIT: The Urban Landscape

The Copley Society of Art is proud to present Grit: The Urban Landscape, juried by the renowned Director of MIT’s List Visual Arts Center, Dr. Paul Ha.  This nationally influenced show unveils the raw fabric of the cityscape as seen through the eyes of both Copley and non-Copley members alike.

Ben Holiday, Elevated, 38 x 50, oil and enamel on acrylic.

Dr. Ha’s curatorial vision for Grit embraces the minimalist view of the city and urban life.  In his words, “though the urban area that surrounds, overwhelms, and confronts us daily can be the grit in our lives, we can also find moments of unparalleled beauty and solace from that same exact environment.”  The design of the exhibit creates a microcosm of the urban environment, with the varied blend of mediums and artistic ethos serving as a perfect metaphor for the melting pot that is urban life.  From the dusty pavement beneath our feet to lofty skyscrapers, Grit displays the full range of the metropolitan experience.

Julian Cherubini, Back Back Bay, 23 x 30, archival pigment print (photograph).

One of the show’s most notable pieces, an oil and enamel painting on acrylic by Ben Holiday titled Elevated, captures the simple and often overlooked beauty of naturally repeating and overlapping patterns that exist in an urban environment.  Awarded "First Place," Back Back Bay, an archival ink photograph on paper by Julian Cherubini, uses contrasting black and white to transcend the modern world and detailed brickwork to spark a sensory experience of Back Bay rooftops.

Sean Flood, Clarendon Alley at Midnight, 36 x 42, oil on panel.

Another feature of the exhibit, Sean Flood’s Clarendon Alley at Midnight, exemplifies Grit and the artist’s aim of unveiling all aspects of the city. Sean states: “my approach to painting urban scenes and structures simulates and celebrates the energy of the city and the construction process. The paintings reveal the process from foundation to structure to completed form.”

The exhibit will run thru November 1, 2014. We look forward to seeing you in the gallery soon!