The doors will open on Feb 15 to a new art exhibit that will explore the depths of the minds of all who are open to exploring art and its ability to symbolize nature and the universe.

The exhibition will be held at the Malette Art Gallery at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Central Nassau located at 223 Stewart Avenue in Garden City. The curator is Theresa Bartol and the show will remain at the gallery until April 17,1998.

On display will be the remarkable works of Zen Priest Shodo Iwagaki who will present an enlightening lecture on the subject of his work on Sunday, March 1, at 11 a.m. Following the talk will be a reception to celebrate the artist and the exhibition in Garden City. All residents interested in hearing the fascinating artist and Zen Priest speak are welcome.

Zen, an Eastern philosophy or method of thinking developed from the Buddhist tradition in Asia, is most known for questions like, "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" amongst Westerners. Zen has received more attention as the close of the 20th Century draws closer and people seek new ways to conduct themselves, new forms of meditation or spirituality, and means to exercise the mind. As Shodo Iwagaki sojourns to Garden City and shares his insights into Zen thought and expression, individuals who seek to understand this Asian philosphy, the art works themselves, or just wish to admire the simple forms and use of black-and-white can prepare themselves for this experience in the coming weeks as they wait for his arrival.

Iwagaki was born in 1941 in Tottori, Japan. He attended Komazawa University and graduated in 1968 with a major in Buddhist Studies. He then spent 8 years in his Zen novitiate at Soziji (Head temple of Sodo-shu; Yokohama) and other temples. In 1976 he became a priest of Mailaiji Temple (Okayama) and started woodcut printing as a self-taught artist. He had one solo exhibition per year.

The artist said of his own experience creating Zen art, "My prints are almost monochrome. I love black-and-white woodcut prints, because unlike colorful pictures, they never lose their charm and we never tire of looking at them. I would like to express a genuinely Oriental atmosphere through my art works, and there is something that feels very Eastern in the black Chinese ink. I love the feeling of Washi (handmade Japanese paper), so I always use it for my prints. Although they are printings, I use the ink blots to create subtle differences each time I print, making it difficult to produce the same one twice."

He also commented on the shapes and forms his works reflect, "In the spirit of Zen, the universe, including all the fauna and flora on earth, is symbolized by a circle. I would like to make a circle while in a perfectly free, self-effacing state of mind."

The gallery will be open to the public from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Individuals wishing to make a special appointment to experience this art show can call 248-8855.