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NANO GALLERY
Primary
Featuring: Keidy Mérida
Curated by Jerry Truong
AUGUST 23 - OCTOBER 6, 2024
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Primary
NANO GALLERY
Featuring: Keidy Mérida
Curated by Jerry Truong
AUGUST 23 - OCTOBER 6, 2024
![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61fad3cbcd8eca2fcf42b62f/4c93c866-ca98-44d2-bbb9-73e8121cd48c/Screenshot+2024-08-20+at+10.53.41%E2%80%AFPM.png)
![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/61fad3cbcd8eca2fcf42b62f/4c93c866-ca98-44d2-bbb9-73e8121cd48c/Screenshot+2024-08-20+at+10.53.41%E2%80%AFPM.png)
Primary on display in The DC Arts Center’s Nano Gallery showcases the work of Washington D.C.-based photographer Keidy Mérida. Through her macro photography, Keidy uncovers the hidden beauty in everyday life, transforming unnoticed details into striking visual compositions.
The exhibition is organized into three sections, each representing a primary color: red, blue, and yellow. These colors symbolize fundamental artistic elements and evoke deeper, more profound aspects of contemporary suburban life. Keidy's photographs encourage viewers to discover the beauty that lies in the simplest aspects of their surroundings.
By focusing on the intricate details of the mundane, Keidy's work reveals how mindful observation can lead to a greater appreciation and understanding of the world. "Primary" invites visitors to see beyond the ordinary and appreciate the extraordinary hidden in plain sight, highlighting Keidy Mérida's unique ability to elevate the every day into the realm of the sublime.
Featured Above
Keidy Mérida
Open, 2021
Metal print
5” x 7"
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Primary on display in The DC Arts Center’s Nano Gallery showcases the work of Washington D.C.-based photographer Keidy Mérida. Through her macro photography, Keidy uncovers the hidden beauty in everyday life, transforming unnoticed details into striking visual compositions.
The exhibition is organized into three sections, each representing a primary color: red, blue, and yellow. These colors symbolize fundamental artistic elements and evoke deeper, more profound aspects of contemporary suburban life. Keidy's photographs encourage viewers to discover the beauty that lies in the simplest aspects of their surroundings.
By focusing on the intricate details of the mundane, Keidy's work reveals how mindful observation can lead to a greater appreciation and understanding of the world. "Primary" invites visitors to see beyond the ordinary and appreciate the extraordinary hidden in plain sight, highlighting Keidy Mérida's unique ability to elevate the every day into the realm of the sublime.
Featured Above
Keidy Mérida
Open, 2021
Metal print
5” x 7"
Opening Celebration
Friday, August 23, 2024
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Artist Talk
Sunday, September 22, 2024
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Closing Reception
Sunday, October 6, 2024
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
EVENTS
EVENTS
Opening Celebration
Friday, August 23, 2024
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Artist Talk
Sunday, September 22, 2024
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Closing Reception
Sunday, October 6, 2024
6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Since 2021, I have had the fortunate opportunity to collaborate with Keidy Mérida and witness the evolution of her photography. Her work is deeply influenced by her spirituality and mindfulness, seamlessly integrated into her artistic practice, resulting in images that are both personal and evocative.
Growing up in Washington, D.C., and Gaithersburg, Maryland, within an immigrant community, has shaped Keidy's artistic vision. She gravitates toward subjects often ignored by mainstream society, challenging conventional notions of artistic worth. Her meticulous approach captures the smallest details—cracks, chips, scratches, and debris—elevating them from the ordinary to the extraordinary.
Primary is divided into three sections, each representing a primary color. These colors symbolize the fundamental elements of art and the primal aspects of contemporary human experience and our environments. Keidy emphasizes local exploration and discovery, revealing the extraordinary within the ordinary and often highlighting the beauty that goes unnoticed in our immediate surroundings.
Keidy's work invites viewers to slow down and truly engage with the world around them. She believes that every moment is an opportunity for growth and discovery. By focusing on often-overlooked details, Keidy challenges us to appreciate the hidden wonders that surround us and to find moments of pleasure in the unexpected.
Through the exquisite prints presented in Primary, Keidy Mérida not only showcases her exceptional skill in macro photography but also offers a powerful reminder of the profound impact of mindful observation. This exhibition invites us to see the world anew and to find joy in the smallest details.
Jerry Truong
Curator, Primary
FROM THE CURATOR
FROM THE CURATOR
Since 2021, I have had the fortunate opportunity to collaborate with Keidy Mérida and witness the evolution of her photography. Her work is deeply influenced by her spirituality and mindfulness, seamlessly integrated into her artistic practice, resulting in images that are both personal and evocative.
Growing up in Washington, D.C., and Gaithersburg, Maryland, within an immigrant community, has shaped Keidy's artistic vision. She gravitates toward subjects often ignored by mainstream society, challenging conventional notions of artistic worth. Her meticulous approach captures the smallest details—cracks, chips, scratches, and debris—elevating them from the ordinary to the extraordinary.
Primary is divided into three sections, each representing a primary color. These colors symbolize the fundamental elements of art and the primal aspects of contemporary human experience and our environments. Keidy emphasizes local exploration and discovery, revealing the extraordinary within the ordinary and often highlighting the beauty that goes unnoticed in our immediate surroundings.
Keidy's work invites viewers to slow down and truly engage with the world around them. She believes that every moment is an opportunity for growth and discovery. By focusing on often-overlooked details, Keidy challenges us to appreciate the hidden wonders that surround us and to find moments of pleasure in the unexpected.
Through the exquisite prints presented in Primary, Keidy Mérida not only showcases her exceptional skill in macro photography but also offers a powerful reminder of the profound impact of mindful observation. This exhibition invites us to see the world anew and to find joy in the smallest details.
Jerry Truong
Curator, Primary
FROM KEIDY MÉRIDA
Most of the time, we catch only fleeting glimpses of the amazing things around us before being pulled back into the monotony of our routines. My photography invites you to pause and take a closer look at the everyday scenes around you, discovering beauty in the mundane, the small details, and the unconventional.
My images serve as a reminder that life is a series of opportunities, each moment brimming with the potential for growth, discovery, and transformation. I hope my artwork ignites curiosity and introspection in the viewer, encouraging reflection on their own journeys—both literal and metaphorical—and consideration of the transformative power of seeing things differently. Every moment holds the possibility to learn, evolve, and become the best version of ourselves.
My art is an open-hearted invitation to embrace whatever emotions or thoughts arise when viewing my images. We see what we choose to see. When we look with intention, the hidden beauty around us suddenly comes into view.
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Curator & Artist’s Biographies
Curator: Jerry Truong
Artists: Keidy Mérida
JERRY TRUONG
Website: www.jerrytruong.com
Jerry Truong is a multidisciplinary artist, educator, and curator. He earned a dual B.A. in Studio Art and Psychology from the University of California, Irvine, in 2006, and an M.F.A. in Visual Arts from the University of California, San Diego, in 2011.
Truong’s work has been featured in group exhibitions at notable venues including the Kreeger Museum (DC), CUE Art Foundation (NY), the Decker Gallery at MICA (MD), Flashpoint Gallery (DC), American University Museum (DC), BlackRock Center for the Arts (MD), and the VAALA Cultural Center (CA). In 2021, he participated in the Arts in Foggy Bottom Outdoor Sculpture Biennial in Washington, DC.
In addition to his artistic endeavors, Truong is deeply involved in his local arts community. He was a fellow at Hamiltonian Artists from 2012 to 2014, a member of the Sparkplug Collective at The DC Arts Center from 2014 to 2016, and served as the Program Manager there from 2020 to 2024. He currently maintains an active studio in Kensington, MD, and teaches photography and digital media/tools at a college in Maryland.
KEIDY MÉRIDA
Website: www.keidymerida.com
Keidy Mérida was born in Washington, D.C., and spent her early years in the Adams Morgan neighborhood, where her parents and grandmother had recently settled after immigrating from Guatemala. She later moved to Gaithersburg, Maryland to a neighborhood where many other recent immigrants from Central America lived. She reflects that since she was young, she has been surrounded by friends and family who are used to feeling like they live at the margins of society. As a result, she is drawn to subjects that she feels tend to be ignored. She endeavors in her art to focus and give attention to the “little things” and, in a way, try to make something out of “nothing”.
She was initially drawn to photography because of its immediacy and accessibility. As she explored the world around her, she found herself enthralled by the beauty she found in both nature and man-made structures. Whether examining a flower or a rusted fence up close, she is fascinated by how sunlight, wind, and water affect and change her subjects. By capturing these spontaneous and fleeting moments, she hopes that the viewer can draw connections between human relations, nature, and time. Ultimately, she seeks to redefine what is considered worthy of being photographed, what can be considered art, and who can be an artist.