COMING TOGETHER

Meg Griffiths, Christos J. Palios, and JP Terlizzi

August 16 – September 28, 2019

Opening Reception with Artists: Friday, August 16 (6 – 9 pm)

COLORADO PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS CENTER (1070 BANNOCK ST, DENVER, CO 80204)
Free and open to the public

Since the beginning of time, humans have been gathering over meals. From first dates to weddings, to celebrations of life and death, we meet at the table. In Coming Together, three photographers consider the ways that home, meals and associated rituals connect us and influence our lives.

Christos Palios is a first generation Greek-American that photographs the remnants of meals he has shared with family and friends in Europe and the United States. Each image is a top-down view of the table after the meal is over. The narratives imagined by viewing the aftermath of these meals are endless. The European custom of a long and lingering meal is visible here. Evidence of our digital culture creeping in appears with cell phones and tablets sitting on the table, raising questions about how this contemporary technological shift is influencing our long-held tradition of face-to-face gatherings.

JP Terlizzi comes from an Italian-American family and the strong European culture of the family meal is an integral part of his life. Generations develop their own code to refer to traditions or objects and, in this case, it’s about “The Good Dishes.” His project is named after the term used by his mother to refer to the family’s finest china, which was reserved exclusively for special occasions. There is a time when the younger generation must inventory and disperse these heirlooms when the older generation passes. The physical objects are wrapped tightly with memories and family traditions. In his beautifully constructed photographs, he places delicate teacups, plates, and saucers on a background print that connects to the pattern on the dishes. These images were created with love and honor their family significance.

Meg Griffiths has been making photographs in Cuba since 2011 to explore a country in the middle of big cultural, political and economic changes. Cuba is emerging from a communist regime and learning to incorporate new ideals into their politics and economics. Some families are opening their homes to visitors as a way of making money but also to open themselves to the rest of the world. Meg spent time living with these families, photographing their homes and meals to gain a deeper understanding of the true fabric of Cuba. The resulting photographs are evidence of her immersion in their lives but also reflect the larger picture of the developing culture of Cuba.

Pictured above: Resilience by Christos J. Palios

EXHIBITION PREVIEW

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Meg Griffiths is a Texas-based artist and educator. Her photographic research currently deals with the domestic relationships and personal historical identity. Her work has been shown internationally, including: PhotoZurich Germany, Barcelona Biennial for Fine Art and Documentary Photography, Pingyao International Festival of Photography, Chaing Mai Photo Festival, at venues within the United States such as Columbia Museum of Art, Museum of Living Artists in San Diego, Griffin Museum in Boston, and Houston Center for Photography. Meg received 2^nd Place Prize at PhotoNOLA in 2019, the Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Best Fine Art Series in 2017, selected as on of Atlanta Celebrates Photography’s One’s to watch in 2016, 2^nd Place Prize at PhotoNOLA in 2015, and named one of PDN 30’s: New and Emerging Photographers in 2012. Meg resides in Denton, Texas. She is the Head of Photography and the Assistant Professor of Photography at Texas Woman’s University.

Christos J. Palios is a first-generation Greek-American and a lens-based artist in Maryland. His photographs probe themes of  identity, connection, memory and isolation within a variety of environments, including remote and often inaccessible spaces. He he exhibited locally and nationally at venues including the the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Grimaldis Gallery (Baltimore, MD); Photographic Center Northwest (Seattle WA); Klompching Gallery’s Annual Fresh Show; the Houston Center for Photography, and a solo show in August 2019 at Blue Sky Gallery (Portland, OR). My work also resides in several private and corporate collections throughout the nation including the Museum of Life Sciences (Durham, NC), Linked In (Chicago, IL), T. Rowe Price (Baltimore, MD), Hotel Indigo (Baltimore, MD), and the Veterans Affairs Regional Headquarters (Atlanta, GA).

JP Terlizzi is a New York City-based visual artist who uses photography to explore themes of memory, relationship, and identity. Drawing inspiration from his personal experiences he captures moments that convey narratives—whether the story is a framed moment that reveals something about family and home, or a poetic interpretation of a fading reality, the feeling of belonging and connection are recurring themes in his work. He earned a BFA in Communication Design at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and has studied photography at the International Center of Photography and Maine Media College. His work has been exhibited widely in galleries across the United States and internationally including solo and juried shows at The Center for Fine Art Photography, Vicki Myhren Gallery at the University of Denver, Soho Photo Gallery in New York, The Griffin Museum, Rhode Island Center for Photographic Arts, The Berlin Foto Biennale in Germany, among others. JP was named as a 2018 Photolucida Critical Mass Top 50 recipient for his series Descendants.