Behind The Mesmerizing Mandalas of James Stanford's "Shimmering Zen"

Contemporary artist James Stanford opened a new exhibition featuring photomontages of vintage Las Vegas landmarks and the city’s famed neon signs. The free exhibit, titled Shimmering Zen opened on Friday, Sept. 21 and runs through Saturday, Nov. 24 in The Studio at the Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Avenue. Learn more about Stanford and the exhibit in this video by Eric Minh Swenson.

Contemporary artist James Stanford opened a new exhibition featuring photomontages of vintage Las Vegas landmarks and the city’s famed neon signs. The free exhibit, titled Shimmering Zen opened on Friday, Sept. 21 and runs through Saturday, Nov. 24 in The Studio at the Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Avenue. Learn more about Stanford and the exhibit in this video by Eric Minh Swenson.

Heavily influenced by his native Las Vegas roots and surroundings, Stanford is an innovative artist who revisits the vibrant energy of 1960s Vegas with this collection. Entitled Shimmering Zen, he will feature a range of intricate digital collages of original photographs that capture the city’s iconic aesthetic and particularly its neon signs. Some of the pieces include The Neon Museum, Fremont Street, Fong’s Garden and the Circus Circus, Flamingo, Golden Nugget, Tropicana, Caesars Palace, and Binion’s properties.

Stanford’s use of traditional photography and digital techniques make his Shimmering Zen work unique and compelling. Drawing on his expertise as a painter, photographer, professor of color theory and pioneering advocate of new technologies in digital art, he layers photographs to create and discover patterns in familiar, yet completely revitalized, images with bold colors and intricate patterns that create mesmerizing designs.

Shimmering Zen also reflects Stanford’s continued interest in transforming reality into imagined realms. As an artist, he is concerned with the development of a visual expression of spirituality. Drawing on the ancient traditions of Buddhism, he conceives his digital montages as “modern mandalas” – maps toward inner zen. His work responds to the potency of the “mandala” as a symbol and its influence and importance to cultures worldwide.

“When you open up your mind, you become so full of this one vision, everything becomes pure energy, pure light. That’s Shimmering Zen, and incorporating iconic Las Vegas images for their beauty, uniqueness and historical significance in the city and my life makes this collection even more special,” said Stanford.

Shimmering Zen features 46 works Stanford created during the past 20 years. In addition to the Las Vegas pieces, he will incorporate new works inspired by his recent visit to London, such as a large scale triptych (96’’ X 192’’) printed on metal and composed of three mirrored montages featuring Buckingham Palace, entitled Trica Pentaptyc.