Yesterday afternoon the final hours were upon Mantra Ardhana and his band of helpers, and the question of the moment was, “Just what in the hell is going on in the photo studio?” The Gallery walls were hung with Mantras art following the theme and title “Organic Mind”…and that’s exactly what it was. Images of bare bodies sprouting foliage, bird-headed humans doing yoga type poses, and Jimmy Hendrix in all shades of life. But my words don’t do it justice, so you can view them for yourselves. The answer to the major question was solved when Mantra and his Band fired up the projectors, dropped a little video imagery and started playing music that would have caught the attention of Syd Barrett himself. Images flashed of smoke the evolved into doves and then flew in to the abyss, rotating beating hearts psychedelically pulsating to the drums and organ. Then the Mantra of the hour grabbed his Fender and laid down licks as skull figures formed on the screen and the evaporated in to rain clouds. Oh, did I mention there was an assortment of 100 sapling trees that were passed out to guests who were in Mantras presence, the evening was far out to say the least. If you missed the opening night, don’t fret, you can still see though the artists eyes, for his works will be on our walls till the end of March.
