Jackson, WY
Astoria Fine Art, July 21-31
Andrew Denman, Multiplication Tables, acrylic, 24 x 24.
This story was featured in the July 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art July 2017 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
Andrew Denman’s stylistic mix of wild, reverent, and whimsical delights art collectors around the world. His latest solo show, A Different Animal, includes 20 unique paintings that feature his intriguing combination of representational and stylized concepts. See Denman’s bold, contemporary paintings on display at Astoria Fine Art from July 21 to July 31.
In his new collection, Denman removes animals from their natural environments, portraying them instead against backdrops of fanciful patterns or metal leaf. “I chose to present wildlife as inspired by the way humans project meaning on them through the context of our own lives,” Denman says. By disassociating wildlife from its usual surroundings, Denman elevates the animal to a different level, forcing the viewer to see it with new eyes. “I just want the viewer to stop and think about the animal,” Denman says. “If they think about it in a wider cultural sense and what it means to them personally, then I’ve done my job.”
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- Andrew Denman, The Convocation, acrylic, 20 x 16.
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- Andrew Denman, Reverse Ravens, acrylic, 24 x 6.
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- Andrew Denman, Bushtit in Carmine Pink, acrylic, 8 x 8.
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- Andrew Denman, Green Eggs & Ham, acrylic, 24 x 6.
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- Andrew Denman, Stacked Burrowing Owls, acrylic, 24 x 12.
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- Andrew Denman, Stacked Harris Hawks, acrylic, 36 x 24.
His totem works feature animals stacked on top of each other, calling to mind Native American totem poles and paying homage to the way Native Americans revere nature [see page 10]. These surrealistic works are more labor-intensive because Denman pieces together individual reference photos of the animals in order to arrange them, completely reworking the legs or feet to depict weight distribution in a believable manner.
Denman’s ornamental works, like ORNAMENT #5: The Convocation, feature animals portrayed in an iconographic context or as objects of reverence. It’s a larger statement on how nature can make mankind feel more spiritual. In his pattern works, as seen in MULTIPLICATION TABLES, Denman reduces animals to simple silhouettes, reproducing them in a wallpaper-like pattern to get the viewer to slow down and recontextualize the animal. The gallery hosts a question-and-answer session on Saturday, July 22, at 11 a.m., as Denman walks through his new collection. Viewers can meet Denman in person at the gallery, or watch online and ask questions via Facebook Live. “Any good-quality art needs to speak for itself,” he says. “But you can enrich your appreciation of the
work when you talk to the artist and get an idea of his intentions.” —Katie Askew
contact information
307.733.4016
www.astoriafineart.com
This story was featured in the July 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art July 2017 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
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