Infomation about the new Nagyas show
1st May - 10th May
2pm - 8pm
Nagyas ..a pseudonym like so many others. It's just a word i put together some fifteen years ago.
I don't really like to write about myself, but instead: just do. Anyway: let's just say that i grew up in on the continent.. and that disatisfaction with many things i saw (there, as well as on television) plus the desire to see for myself in other places, to get to know other cultures, languages and ways of thinking, stimulated me into travelling quite a bit. Visited and/or lived in about 40 countries since the mid-eighties. Though deliberately opted to focus on only these isles plus the Eurasian mainland, because that's where i feel my roots are.
Until now i've mostly avoided the art-world due to a lack of time; way too busy with other things. Preferred e.g. to put energy into various projects and/or stimulating others. At times i worked together with other artists (especially in Eastern Europe..) but i mainly built my reputation on the mainland with e.g. slideshows while travelling.
I totally reject the "western" notion that everything needs to be linear, polished and perfect. I work a lot with older pictures (at times damaged, e.g. while travelling), photocopies and scans.
I adhere to the principle that art (in its' many forms) should be there in the first place to question, to open people's minds in a good way and to stimulate for positive changes. A lot of art is (taken) way too serious as well; it should be there to create lightness and joy.
Which brings us to the project that i've decided to put all my energy into for the foreseeable future : Project Flowers.
This was inspired by - amongst others - an Artists Against Violence exhibition i visited in October 1993 on and near the Pushkin Steps (famous from the pram-scene in Battleship Potemkin) in Odessa.
And (especially) Marlene Dietrich's version of "Where have all the flowers gone." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_ptqXqjsZw Thus: anti-war, but also an imploring of the nature disappearing.. as well as the common wish (and right) for everyone to live a quiet, peacefull life and to flourish and be appreciated in all their different beauty.
Everyone has their own talents & ways of expressing. And for this project I'm inviting everyone who feels like it to join in and draw a flower. All contributions (unless offensive) will be put on - for now - a flickr account (see: http://www.flickr.com/people/37370925@N02/ ) The ultimate idea is to do a website that can act as a kind of virtual museum for everyone to look into. And with contributions from all over the planet.
During the exhibition some of the previous contributions will be on show; there will be new sheets.. and everyone who feels like it is welcome to add a flower and thus automatically becomes involved in the project. These are the early stages; thus far over 300 people from +40 different countries have taken part and hopefully in the not too distant future (with the power of the internet) it will grow considerably. Ideal is to create a virtual museum with contributions from as many people from as many countries as possible. The exhibition will run from May 1st (also as a comemoration of Ayrton Senna, who died 15 years ago) until May 10th and will be open daily from 2 until 8 pm. Friday evening (it being Mayday) and Saturday the gallery will be open until 11pm.
Contact: projectflowers@ymail.com 
