De Santos Gallery resents: Intimate Archaeology
Photographs by Elaine Duigenan

Opening Reception: Saturday January 10th at 6:00pm-8:30pm
Reception with the artist at 6:30pm

Artist Statement

Elaine Duigenan (pron. 'Dygnun') works with objects; sometimes they are familiar items which have been discarded, other times they are the things which have been kept and valued. She places them in an environment in such a way as to effect transformation or bestow status. She is fascinated by what she has begun to term 'intimate archaeology'. This arises out of a passion for both 'sense of place' and collecting/unearthing treasure. We all keep or preserve things as mementoes and Elaine is able to discover symbolism in the most mundane of objects. Her work invariably has an air of mystery and ambiguity which is often heightened when subjects are placed in a particular light or landscape.

"For me photography has become an 'act of preservation' and objects I focus on become the locators or igniters of memory. The traces and remnants we find in any landscape can spark recognition. They can even invoke a presence."

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 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.