A Patient Search
Herman Ellis Dyal
February 27 – April 24, 2025
Opening Reception: February 27, 2025 6–8pm
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About the Exhibition
Drawing from his first monograph, "The Things Not Seen Are Eternal," (2023, GOST Books, London) and recent work, "A Patient Search" presents a photographic practice shaped by Dyal’s background as an architect and designer. Through careful attention to composition, light, form, texture, and spatial relationships, these images explore the subtle poetry of ordinary places.
The exhibition's title comes from the English translation of Le Corbusier's memoir "L'atelier de la recherche patiente," which addresses his own artistic development and creative process. In contrast to the rapid pace of Dyal's former professional practice, these photographs emerge from long, contemplative walks through varied environments. The act of walking becomes a form of meditation, while the camera frames moments of quiet revelation in everyday scenes.
These images suggest that beauty and significance exist not just in dramatic vistas or architectural monuments, but in the modest spaces we pass through daily—if only we take the time to really look.
About the Artist
Herman Ellis Dyal (American, born 1950 in San Antonio, Texas, based in Austin, Texas) received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Master of Architecture degree from Tulane University. A registered architect, Dyal has held design positions with both Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (Houston) and Philip Johnson / John Burgee Architects (New York). He was also a Founding Principal of Dyal and Partners (Austin), and a Principal at Page (Austin). Dyal has served as a Visiting Artist at the University of Houston, a Visiting Critic at Rice University, and guest lecturer at The University of Texas at Austin, and other schools, universities, and conferences. His work has received numerous awards and has appeared in major design and architecture publications.
Dyal’s first book of photographs, “The Things Not Seen Are Eternal,” published by GOST Books (London), and printed in Italy by Editoriale Bortolozzi Stei, was released in April 2023. The book has been featured in The Guardian, The Financial Times (London), Leica Fotografie International, Fisheye Magazine (France), Kristeligt Dagblad (Denmark), AN Interior (A Magazine by The Architect’s Newspaper), Texas Architect magazine, and elsewhere. Dyal is a sixth generation Texan, and resides in Austin.
