Project Overview
Eight Paths, One Journey Project
Eight Paths, One Journey is a major art project involving newly formed artistic team, Matt Dragun and Nic Montagu and a collaboration of West Australian yoga practitioners.
The world premier of Eight Paths, One Journey exhibition was held in November 2008 in Perth, Western Australia.
Planning is in place to tour the exhibition to regional Western Australia and nationally over the next 18 to 24-months. Click here for touring enquiries.
Artistic Overview
31 colour-toned prints, portraying the simple and complete beauty of yoga asana sit aside 24 black and white images, inspired by the stories we have discovered in conversation with our 9 subject yoga practitioners. Presented with the prints are a series of quotes from each practitioner that when combined with the images tell of the inspiring journeys of each individual.
By creating two parallel series of images, Matt Dragun and Nic Montagu provide an insight into the many facets of the practice of yoga and the gravity of the practice’s influence on the lives of those who have embraced the practice.
The colour-toned series of images explores the physicality of yoga asana - the strength of form, physical solidity and sinuous composition that each and every asana seems to aspire to. While asana provides the audience a familiar point of reference to the practice, the backdrop for each Asana creates a context for the stories and explores the intersection of Eastern practice and Western lifestyle.
The black and white series of images takes a more intimate view of the practice of yoga and the resulting emotional and spiritual effect. Projected images representing the experiences of our subject yoga practitioners slide along the body, imitating the twists and turns of each story.
The projected images challenge the viewer to reassess their own perception of the work and take a second look at the layers of message each subject yoga practitioner has shared.
All of the prints have been created by hand, allowing for careful rendering of light balance and tonality.
The resulting exhibition is an intimate exploration of the physical beauty and emotional awakening of yoga.
Click here for more (Curatorial Thesis PDF)