De Santos Gallery Presents: Remnant Beauty
Photographs by Roman Loranc

Opening Reception: Saturday December 2, 2006 at 5:30pm-8:30pm
Reception with the artist

Artist Statement:

Some photographers believe their strongest work comes from exploring their immediate surroundings. "I think of myself as a regional photographer," Loranc says, "but that does not mean the photography cannot be understood beyond the region. Right now people all over the United States indicate to me that regionalism, born of an informed attachment, has universal appeal." Loranc shoots most of his pictures within an hour’s drive of his home in Modesto, California, but he is also interested in exploring his ancestral roots in Europe. For this reason he makes occasional photographic forays into Poland and Lithuania.

"I’m fascinated by the ancient churches of my homeland," he says. "These are holy spaces where millions of people have prayed for hundreds of years. They are places of great humility, and remind us how brief our lives are. I feel the same way when I’m photographing ancient groves of native oaks in California. I was unconscious of this when I began, but upon reflection, I think the oaks are just as sacred as the old cathedrals of Europe. They are sacred in that they have survived for so many years. I’m aware that the native people of California held all living things as divine. For me a grove of Valley Oaks is as sacred as any church in Europe."

"I think about how interconnected the world is," Loranc says. "When I’m out on a crisp winter’s morning, shooting a stand of native oaks, I see oak galls hanging from the trees. These were once used to make the pyrogallol chemicals I use to develop my negatives. So the oak trees I am photographing played a part in the developer I use to process my negatives of those trees. It is healthy to remember that we are often linked to the natural world in ways we don't even suspect."

Roman Loranc

About the DeSantos Gallery

DeSantos Gallery provides innovative ideas about photography, while maintaining an outstanding reputation for integrity and customer satisfaction.   The gallery is owned and directed by Luis and Gemma DeSantos, natives of Spain and   long-time residents of Houston.  

The DeSantos's conceived and built the gallery with Houston architect, Fernando Brave who recently received the 2005 American Institute of Architects Design Award for his building design.   The DeSantos Gallery specializes in traditional and new media photography from contemporary European and Asian photographers, including Anna Halm-Schudel, Roman Loranc, Sang-Nam Park, and Kimiko Yoshida.   The gallery also has work available by North American and Latin American artists, Clyde Butcher, Linda Butler, and Edgar Moreno, among others.