Frazier King
Artist Statement:
“The Seven Deadly Sins can be depicted as a choice between good and evil, which choice is the very philosophic underpinning of AGENCY. Every day everyone must decide what will drive their AGENCY. On the left-hand side of each image is the depiction of the ‘normal’ or ‘healthy’ choice. On the right-hand side is the depiction of the evil in question and, also, the consequence of the evil in question. So, in the case of “Wrath”, on the right-hand side we see action which will have the destructive results of anger. In the case of “Gluttony” the see the enlargement of the body to abnormal and harmful proportions. In the case of “Greed” we see the accumulation of possessions beyond what is needed to the point that they become useless. In the case of “Sloth” we see the chaos which can result from the failure to take action to create something useful and beautiful. In the case of “Pride” we see that hubris over-reaches to try to possess the realm of the “other” and by so doing stands over the abyss within which there must eventually be the fall.
The project grew out of contemplation during Covid of the current political problems both at home and abroad, the wars existing all over the globe, and the climate crisis. The hope is that the illustration will be edifying and that the result will be beneficial. Can the small blocks of a child from my uncle’s generation be used to create constructions which, when photographed, would render images attractive enough to capture the attention of the viewer and would be effective enough to illustrate basic precepts for a better world community?”
Artist Bio:
“Frazier King is a photographer, collector and curator, living and working in Houston, TX. His photography work focuses on constructed still life and some bodies are produced using film and gelatin silver prints while others are produced using digital capture and archival pigment prints. “The Seven Deadly Sins” series is his most recent work, produced in 2022. Over the last 25 years he has exhibited in numerous solo and group shows in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, France, and Belgium. His work is included in the collections of many individuals and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Harry Ransom Center, Austin, TX; George Eastman House, Rochester, NY; Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris, France; and Museu de Arte Moderna, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He has been a collector since the 1990s. His collection was shown by FotoFest in 2012 in “The Collector’s Eye II” exhibition. Subsequently, he produced in conjunction with FotoFest and Schilt Publishing a book entitled “The Collector’s Eye—A Photographer’s View of His Contemporaries”. During his 15 years serving as a member of the board of directors of HCP, he curated or co-curated exhibitions and participated as a reviewer in photography portfolio review events around the world.”