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Heart Beats Light and Syntonic Frequencies, Current work by visual artist, Peter Terezakis
Published in the Journal of Optometric Phototherapy, March 2009
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One humid late summer afternoon, within the embrace of a rolling meadow on the outskirts of Pennsylvania's Amish countryside, I used ten slowly-flashing, eight-foot, florescent lamps, fifty feet apart, to describe a five-hundred foot section of an ellipse. Since that day in 1996, I have repeated permutations of this installation in locations within Latvia, a shard of rock across from Santorini, Romania's Black Sea coast, a subterranean vault within a castle once occupied by Vlad Tepes, and a number of beach, desert, and meadow locations in the United States. The light sculpture, programmed to my resting heart rate (Heart Beats Light), is also used in performances, benefits, and outdoor events which have drawn up to a thousand of the curious and supportive.
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There is a deep need within many to experience open spaces away and apart from contemporary civilization. In a remote border region of the Chihuahuan Desert, I discovered a place to experience the changes of light and shadow beneath a twilight sky. Far from the sounds of traffic and city lights, watching Heart Beats Light establishes an internal architecture of mystery and peace. Like any work of art which one gets lost in, witnessing and participating in one of these light installations creates a special sense of presence and memory.
Thanks to Dr. Joseph Shapiro, I learned that the ancient Greeks created temples of healing that utilized individual colored rays of light for specific medical conditions. When the opportunity arose to build a large-scale museum installation in Riga, Latvia, I decided to create an experience using basic syntonic frequencies. Being able to collaborate with one of the first friends I made when moving to New York City (1974) made this project all the more special. Joseph, a fellow of the College of Syntonic Optometry, has greatly influenced my work over the decades of our friendship. Fos Ek Foton (Light from Everlasting Light) was exhibited in July 2008 at Latvia's National Museum of Contemporary Art. Thousands of people experienced the effects of these different filter combinations. |
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It was interesting to watch the audience reactions. Some people swooped across the gallery space directly to a room of color, and never left. A couple of rooms consistently overflowed with groups of strangers. More than a few people methodically spent time in each room. Some individuals avoided particular colors altogether. The dancers gathered in the yellow room as it made them feel warm, even though there was no difference in temperature between any of the rooms in the cold gallery space. We had a few extreme events where people cried openly, five individuals became extremely anxious, and a dozen others sat bathed in light with BIG smiles on their faces. This is a body of knowledge and experience which I hope to continue to present and explore in the years to come. |
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Dr. Shapiro had previously been involved with another art project involving light. It is interesting that our individual paths and work have converged to collaborate and create this project. He co-produced a traveling art show, presenting high visibility classical Chinese art work, viewed under three different types of illumination, white light, black light and pure luminescence in total darkness. Dr. Shapiro wrote about his production in Artzone, a multimedia art publication. Now I am writing about light used as an art form published in a medical publication. In this respect, the circle of our work seems complete.
Dr. Shapiro has also been a frequent guest lecturer in the Art History department on the medical aspects of light and color at the New School and the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
Peter Terezakis has originated inter-active works of art varying in scale from simple jewelry-sized objects, to an interactive building designed in association with Donald Trump's architect, Der Scutt. His works have been exhibited throughout the United States and abroad, including Canada, Japan, Latvia, Mexico, Portugal, and Romania. As adjunct faculty at New York City's School of Visual Arts from 1993 to 2000, Terezakis co-created the Extended Forms major within the MFA Computer Art program. Detailed photos, videos, and animations of his work may be seen at www.terezakis.com |
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