About this Event
Join us for an evening of far-out art, music and discussion in celebration of the release of artist Brian Merriam’s new book of photography, THE ABSOLUTE RECEDES. First, Merriam will join writer LD Deutsch in conversation about the book, which is being published by Tokyo based Commune Press. Taking the book as the starting point, the conversation will branch out into discussion of direct experience, esoteric traditions and the multidimensional nature of reality—the essences of which are braided throughout the photographs themselves and within the book as object. The Absolute Recedes is a union of the universal and the personal. The project acted as a filter through which Merriam could process and transform traumatic personal experience into a greater awareness of, and a deeper relationship with, the universe at large. In the wake of powerful loss, Merriam felt as though he was given a choice. He could continue to languish in cynicism, or he could try to grow—to meet the moment, or perhaps, to transcend it. Through firsthand experience with places of power and natural phenomena, and through countless excursions into his own mind in search of its most distant shores, The Absolute Recedes aims to do just that—to take the viewer where it has taken Merriam, somewhere farther than he knew he could go. After the discussion, electric folk musician Syko Friend will play a set to bring the night’s energies to a close.
“Something long buried in a morass of trauma and sorrow had found the light of day. To be clear, I don’t mean to simply imply that my father’s death made me feel better. More accurately I’d say it made me feel, and more intensely so than I ever had before. At the most unmoored and adrift I’d ever been, I followed that feeling like a beacon, and the path that it illuminated before me brought me places I honestly couldn’t have imagined. It led me into the study of different modes of spirituality and ritual, what is truly possible with willful attention paid in a single direction, and it led me around the world, in search of places whose power and complexities could act as mirrors for what was occurring internally. The path eventually (inevitably, perhaps) led me to Nepal, and high into the Himalayas, where I have returned again and again. I’d like to imagine a part of me remains there, as a part of it assuredly remains within me. It is a place I would liken to a loosely woven tapestry of realities at their maximum, a complex milieu of deity and devotion spread across some of the most difficult, unpredictable and spectacular terrain imaginable. In the stillness of those mountains I pushed myself to the limits of both my body and mind, far enough to watch the boundary between self-preservation and pain disappear into a single radiant object; towards its glow I continued.” – Brian Merriam, The Absolute Recedes Preface
“This technological device, manifested as printed matter in our very domain, is no ordinary object and therefore should not be treated as such for it contains living magical spells which can and will entice oneself to lose one’s mind in the microcosms of creation’s fragmented matrix. It is the kind of charm or artifact which is charged with embodied layers of cosmic revelations…Perhaps the correct way to use this object is to use it as a device which gives one access to the beyond and the in-between—for it is not just a mere work on photography nor is it just the representation of the working practice of a well-accomplished artist but the very embodiment of lived experiences in the realm of mythological landscaping magic and surveyed liminality through fragmented kaleidoscopic-like images of heavens and hell.” – Prema Goet, The Absolute Recedes Introduction
BIOS:
Brian Merriam
Brian Merriam is an artist and musician living in Los Angeles, CA. Highly personal though largely metaphorical, his work seeks to unveil universal concepts through direct engagement with places of power and natural phenomena. Through his art, Merriam endeavors to illustrate that resonant and symbolic forms are to be found everywhere, from the microscopic world to the peaks of the Himalayas, where he has traveled extensively. He is represented by Los Angeles based gallery Tappan. His book 'The Absolute Recedes' was published by Commune Press in Tokyo in July 2024.
LD Deutsch
LD Deutsch is a writer and scholar based in Los Angeles. Her work focuses on time, consciousness, technology, and the natures and narratives of reality. Her writing has been published by Sacred Bones Books, Anthology Books, Nautilus, Cixous72 and Mundus Press. She has presented lectures at Pioneer Works, The Philosophical Research Society, The Knockdown Center, TV Eye, Zebulon Café, Atlas Obscura’s Ecliptic Festival and The Sonic Art Research Unit at Oxford Brookes University. Her forthcoming collection of essays will be published by Sacred Bones Books in Spring 2025.
Syko Friend
Syko Friend is the ongoing solo project of Los Angeles based musician and writer, Sophie Weil. Releasing solo music under this name since 2012 in Minneapolis. The project has since developed into a roiling, unmistakable electric folk music— thunderstruck, light-swallowing guitar churning under whispered or howled poetry. “The Code” is Syko Friend’s third LP and second release on Post Present Medium.
Please Note: This event will take place in The Philosophical Research Society's upstairs Lecture Room, which is unfortunately not ADA accessible.
Tickets: By Donation – Suggested Donation $10 (In-Person Event Only)
Please email [email protected] or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.
ACCESSIBILITY
PRS wants all guests to be able to enjoy our events safely and comfortably. If you require any accessibility accommodation, please reach out to [email protected] before showtime and we will be happy to assist you.
REFUND POLICIES
All sales are final. There are no refunds or exchanges for PRS events, except in the event of a medical emergency, including but not limited to a positive COVID-19 test.
In the event that PRS is forced to cancel an event entirely, tickets will be refunded or vouchers offered for a rescheduled event.
PARKING
Limited parking is available onsite at PRS in both the front lot (entry from Los Feliz Blvd. when heading east) and back lot (entry from first alley way, off Griffith Park Blvd. from intersection with Los Feliz Blvd.), as well as street parking on Griffith Park Blvd. and (after 7 PM) on Los Feliz Blvd. We encourage attendees to consider carpooling, walking or biking to events if possible, and please be considerate of our Los Feliz neighbors when parking, many thanks.
PRS EVENT POLICIES
- We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
- Events are subject to change without notice, including guest speakers and/or performers.
- We encourage you to arrive at least 30 min. before the scheduled event start time to find parking, enjoy the Bookstore and take your seats.
- Please turn off all mobile devices before the show. Talking and texting are not allowed during the events.
- No filming, audio recording or mobile phone recording of events, screenings, concerts or other programs by audience members is allowed without permission.
- There is no smoking permitted on PRS grounds.
- We strongly encourage guests to wear masks to PRS events to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
- PRS allows Service Animals into the facility under ADA and state guidelines. For further details please visit www.ADA.gov. No animals permitted whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support, under ADA guidelines and CA Health Code.
- Please do not bring outside food or drink into PRS events.
- Weapons are strictly prohibited at PRS events.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, United States
USD 0.00