Satellite Exhibition

Carl Patow

March 15 - May 31, 2025

Do We Have the Courage?

Artist statement

The art I create reflects the pressing issues of our time—climate change, inequality, and the urgent need for change. My work spans a variety of scales and mediums, from intimate, personal projects to large scale public installations.

For my current installation, Do We Have the Courage? I explore a metaphorical journey—one that challenges us to confront the world’s crises. In this piece, two young adventurers embark on a perilous journey, navigating through 13 images and accompanying text. The structure echoes the archetype of the “hero’s journey,” where the characters face challenges, gain wisdom, and return transformed. These photographic layers combine vivid color and embedded imagery, offering both a visual spectacle and a deeper reflection on our collective path forward.

But the work is more than just a narrative of adventure; it is a question—a call to action. In these critical times, I hope that the title itself sparks dialogue: Do We Have the Courage? Are we content to stand by in silence and passivity, or do we have the courage to act and transform the world around us? Through this installation, I invite viewers to engage, reflect, and find the courage to shape a future that we can all be proud of.

Many thanks to my collaborator, Jane Holliday Wilson, who brought the text to life.

Artist Biography

Carl Patow is a Richmond-based artist whose work explores pressing contemporary issues, including social inequity and environmental concerns. Using his own digital photographs as source material, he transforms recognizable imagery with intricate layering and precise manipulation, creating compositions that challenge perception and provoke dialogue.

His artistic achievements span film, video, photography, and interactive media, earning both local and national recognition. He holds a BA from Duke University and an MFA from VCU. In addition to his practice, he is a dedicated mentor, guiding eighth-grade art students at Richmond’s Albert Hill Middle School.

Carl’s work is featured in the collections of Meta, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the James River Association, the Valentine Museum, AmeriFirst Home Mortgage, TPT Minnesota Public Media, the Duke University Archives, and numerous private collectors.

Website https://www.carlpatow.com Instagram @carlpatow