Our everyday encounter with the world around us is generally practical: We look at the morning sky before our departure only to think, "will it rain?” Still, there are moments when we are brought back to the sheer vastness of that sky, the awesome force of a violent sea, or the tremendous power of the earth that binds us. We feel a kind of dread when we realize the forces and fates that hang above us, waiting to fall. The sea may bring storms or battleships, the skies bombs or fire. The scenes presented here are not the usual landscapes. They represent momentary visions, snapshots in history, or places found in the deep recesses of personal or collective memory. Working with a seeming multiplicity of subjects and sources, perhaps a larger theme of my work could be characterized as “memento”: a song long ago, a small corner in a distant land, a disintegrating photograph. I would like my work to serve as a reminder of that which is lost to us.

Laurence King is an internationally exhibited artist now living in the District of Columbia. Originating in Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia, he has lived and worked in Asia and Europe, gaining a broad view of artistic traditions. His past work has revolved around themes such as sky and sea scenes, shadows and silhouettes, history and history painting, the role of text in art, as well as the human figure. To see more of his work, please visit: www.gekkeijyu.com