February 19 - March 29 2025

Joe Aker: The Dichotomy of Life

“People were created to be loved.

Things were created to be used.

The reason why the world is in chaos is because

things are being loved and

people are being used”.

Dalai Lama XIV

 

Within the images of the people in “The Dichotomy of Life”, you see that each person is made up smaller images.  These individuals carry with them the burdens of life’s challenges. These images reflect the challenges of life today: greed, hate, war, genocide, atrocities, and consumerism.

In a sense, the beauty of the images from a distance conceals those things that disrupt our peace and challenge our compassion and love.  Hopefully, the viewer transitions from this external troubled world into a place of being able to reassess and reflect upon the things they have experienced and to acknowledge that these troubles are still out there.  And to ask, can we change and strive for love, regardless of the specifics of our problems and religious beliefs.

The doors in the show are symbols reflecting the quote by Alexander Graham Bell; “When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the ones which open for us.”

The titles originated from my army experience and quotes made during the Vietnam War. Each is meant to make the viewer think. Some include:

“If you kill enough of them, they quit fighting”

“It is better to kill 10 innocents than let one enemy escape”

“We will bomb them into the stone age”

“They were slaughtering villagers like so many sheep”

“There is a Ford in your Future”

“Been to Disneyland Lately”

And various Tibetan doors

 

In a sense, the Tibetan people in the photos are symbolic … they physically live high above the world we live in, speak a common language, and hold a common belief… and they seek to rise above evil, and to reach a purer civil existence and coexistence with the world they live in.  They are uniquely genetically qualified and able to live at these high elevations despite the harsh conditions they currently live under physically and socially, and emotionally. With all that goes on they still exhibit an aura of joy and happiness. I believe we all need to change, and strive for that, regardless of the specifics of our problems and religious beliefs.  If we look at these art works and reflect on the troubles each of these image’s show, as we suffer daily news reports reminding us that our world is imperfect, we can leave here, reflective, and refreshed and prepared to open a new door.  And, over time, we, like the Tibetans, can adapt to the imperfect world in which we live in a better, more enlightened way, treating each other better and with respect. Learning as it says in Matthew 22:30:

 

“Love your Neighbor as yourself”

 

Website:  http://www.thedichotomyoflife.art

 

The show consists of large images printed on Silk (40” x 58”)

 

Artist's Reception: February 22 2025, 5 - 7 pm