Meryl Tihanyi - Serving Ugali

Meryl Tihanyi

Inspired by Arbus, Stieglitz & Weston, painters Hopper, O’Keefe & Vermeer, I began to consider the world around me & sought a way to visually interpret it photographically. Hopper’s sense of isolation & dolefulness always struck a chord with me, along with the vivid, sensual beauty of O’Keefe’s palette. I sought to explore these different visions of the world through photography. Through such images as Arbus’ identical twins photo, I realized that opposition/duality exists in everyone/thing and is observable if one pays attention. So, I started to pay attention. “Quiet” is how some have described my work. Never static, just quiet – as if the volume was turned down & the pace slowed. It is in odd contrast to my personality, which is at times a bit frenetic, animated & spirited. There is an analogous abstract relationship between my photographs and the notion that in life, we are all connected, yet all alone to experience our lives. My work has evolved from being purely aesthetic to a synthesis of aesthetic appeal and social consciousness borne of the awareness that a great imbalance exists in the duality of life enjoyed or endured by people, depending on circumstance & luck.