R0 Prayer Flag Redux Art Project

Join curator, Donald R. Dexter, Jr., DMD in a community art project, the R0 Prayer Flag Redux, to raise funds to support Lane Arts Council’s programs for local artists. Lane Arts Council provides professional development for artists, opportunities for presenting artistic work, and other resources to support local artists and arts groups in advancing their creative projects and careers.

The goal is to collect 200 prayer flags along with a $10 or more donations to Lane Arts Council. Participant’s donations will be matched by Dr. Dexter (up to $1,000 total match).

The community art project kick off was Friday, August 6th during First Friday ArtWalk and Visual Arts Week. The call closes on October 28th. Encourage friends and family to submit their own prayer flags!

For questions about the project, please email media@drdexter.com.

PRAYER FLAG SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Free hemp paper to make flags (donated by Hemp Press) can be picked up at Donald R. Dexter, Jr., DMD, 2233 Willamette Street, Suite B OR participants can use their own materials in creation of their prayer flag. There are no size guidelines and you can submit as many as you like!
• Drop off the “prayer flag” at Dr. Dexter's office, 2233 Willamette Street, Suite B. Dr. Dexter's office is available for drop-offs on Tuesdays-Thursdays, 8:00am-5:00pm. Please wear a mask when dropping off flags
• For each flag submission, please include your full name, contact information (optional), and title/description of the flag.

• Donate $10 to the Lane Arts Council. Participants do not have to donate $10 to participate.

• This is not a juried art project; all submissions will be accepted.

• You may opt-in for your flag to be sold, with proceeds donated to Lane Arts Council.

What is R0?

The term R0, referred to as R-Naught, represents the number of new infections estimated to stem from a single case. In other words, if R0 is 2.5, then one person is expected to infect, on average, 2.5 others. The purpose of the project is to “positively” infect each other with hope, love compassion and empathy, as well as every other positive emotion that is out there.

Traditionally, prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to gods, which is a common misconception; rather, the Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all-pervading space. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all. The prayers of a flag become a permanent part of the universe as the images fade from exposure to the elements. Just as life moves on and is replaced by new life, Tibetans renew their hopes for the world by continually mounting new flags alongside the old.

Curator Statement

"I am Modoc, an enrolled member of the Klamath Tribes of Southern Oregon and I was raised by my grandparents in Beatty, Oregon on the former Klamath Reservation. I own a dental practice and for the past 25 years I have supported the arts and artists in Lane County by curating art shows in my dental practice, hosting holiday photography markets. I am currently working on three art projects; Prayer Flag Redux, a photo project titled INdigenoUS: Through My Brown Eyes and a documentary film on the Modoc War and a memorial that I have gifted to the Klamath and Modoc Tribes, to be placed at the gravesites of four Modoc men hung for their participation in the Modoc War 1873." Dr. Donald R. Dexter, Jr., DMD www.drdexter.com