College Admissions Essay: I Seek the Grail :: College Admissions Essays

I Seek the Grail   You travel and plan what the camera saw. The wonder of the benignant mind, heart, wit, and instinct... You might catch yourself saying, Im not a stranger here. John Mahtesian   John Mahtesians photography offers a visual song of the human condition. It is a direct expression of his warmth, depth of spirit, and humanity. A received indulgentman, extremely humble and unfailingly polite, he achieves an invisibility that is the success of his art. His patience and commitment to his vision allow him to gravel moments others could not. If his subjects are aware of his presence, his gentle nature so enchants them that they are unguarded and their essence is revealed. So induce are his images that we are truly convinced his insights are our own. They make us rejoice in the world around us, and in the nature of human existence.   Mahtesians compassionate understanding of the human condition began early as the youngest electric razor of Armenian immig rants who settled in Chicagos south side. Born in 1915, Johns emotional state was filled with all things Armenian. His parents spoke little English and their attachment to Armenia - the newspaper they read and the stories they told - spurred in him longings to see their beloved homeland and to venture beyond his Chicago neighborhood. Ever attentive to the caring of his parents, Johns desire to experience and capture the wonders of other peoples and places unfolded slowly and gently.   It wasnt until 1974 that fate opened the door for him to go to Armenia - a trip he had been preparing for his entire life. The events leading to this lifelong aspiration are a testament to his hard work, loyalty, and a belief in steady pursuing his dreams. That first trip to his ancestral homeland began a ain photographic project that included nine visits over a stop consonant of fifteen years. The many images he captured of markets, churches, artists, and people attending to their daily lives, gave existence to the stories he heard from his parents and fulfilled an unspoken commitment to his family legacy.   As close to people who have lived a long while, John Mahtesian can explore with amazement on the events of his life and the twists and turns that have shaped his journey. Although he began his commitment to learning and creating art in his early twenties, he didnt start winning photographs in a serious way until the age of 40.