Press release for "Shaolin: Temple of Zen. Photographs b Justin Guariglia"

              known as a “vehicle of Zen.” Revealing the monks’ devotional disciplines and capturing
insightful portraits of the venerated warriors, the works offer an exclusive opportunity to explore
the energy and spirit of Shaolin’s unique practice.
Guariglia’s work explores the nature of ‘qi’ (pronounced chee), the concept of a universal
energy, as well as the themes of ritual, spirituality, and Eastern philosophies through still
photography and video. Carmen Winant of Philadelphia Weekly asserts that “the imagery
simultaneously seethes with energy and casts a meditative silence. It evokes both the ancient and
the contemporary.”
A student in China in the mid 90s, Guariglia took an interest in Taoist and Buddhist
philosophies, spending eight years studying the mystery behind the Shaolin art form. He earned
the trust of the Shaolin monks to create a compassionate record of the art form and those who are
the keepers of these traditions. Notably, Guariglia’s publication features a foreword written by
the Abbot of the Shaolin Temple, Shi Yong Xin.
Justin Guariglia: Biography
Guariglia was born in Maplewood, New Jersey in 1974 and lived and worked in Asia for almost
a decade before returning to live in New York City in 2006. He is a Contributing Editor to
National Geographic Traveler Magazine and has worked for Smithsonian and Newsweek.
Guariglia was nominated for the International Center of Photography’s Young Photographer
Infinity Award, received an Eddie Adams Workshop award, and was named one of the top “30
Young Photographers under 30” by Photo District News. In 2003, Guariglia began collaborating
with artist Zoe Chen, previously a fashion designer for Issey Miyake. Their recent works are
gelatin silver print composite pieces and videos comprised of Guariglia’s photographs of the
Shaolin monks. www.guariglia-chen.com
Expanded Events Information:
Monday, February 4, 7:30pm, Ben Maltz Gallery
Conversation: Shaolin: Temple of Zen
Join photographer Justin Guariglia in a conversation with Gene Ching and Craig Reid about this
exhibition and the traditions of China’s Shaolin monks. Justin Guariglia (see Bio above), Gene
Ching is the Associate Publisher of Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine and
www.KungFuMagazine.com. He has authored hundreds of articles and videos on the martial
arts; much of his research is devoted to Shaolin. He is a disciple of Shaolin Monk Shi Decheng
and bears the name Xinglong. Craig Reid, Ph.D. was the first Caucasian stuntman/actor in
Chinese kung-fu movies in 1979, lectured on combat choreography at Yale School of Drama and
was Sam Raimi's fight choreographer on Spy Game and a fight directing apprentice on CBS's
Martial Law. Reid was the screenwriter on the award-winning film Red Trousers: The Life of
The Hong Kong Stuntmen, and is a freelance journalist writing on Asian martial arts cinema.
Monday, February 25, 7:30pm, Ben Maltz Gallery
Panel Discussion: Cultural Representation in the Media
Otis Director of Art History Parme Giuntini moderates a panel discussion with Professors Félix
Gutiérrez, Clint C. Wilson II, and Lena Chao-Young about the challenges of how cultural
identity is constructed by the media. Parme Giuntini, Ph.D., has been Director of the Art
History program at Otis since 2003. She is co-author of GARB: A Fashion and Culture Reader
(2007), which examines the interplay between fashion, dress, culture, and identity. Lena Chao-
Young, Ph.D., is a professor of Communication Studies at California State University, Los
Angeles. She has worked as Media Director for the ACLU of Southern California, and as Public
Service Coordinator for KFWB Newsradio. She was also on the founding board of the Media