Ed Mell (1942-2024), Canyons and Mesas, oil on linen, 32 x 48 in. 

Modern West was established by Diane Stewart in 2014, and the vision she had more than a decade ago remains the same today: to showcase artworks that embody the spirit of the West. “Throughout our years of operation—and as Diane has traveled to numerous art fairs, museums and other art institutions—this vision has evolved from a Western-themed collection of artworks to a cohort of innovative, contemporary artists that take inspiration from the West in many ways,” says Shalee Cooper, director of Modern West. “We are excited to watch this evolution continue forward in our next chapter, and in our upcoming exhibition Unbound. This show will look back at some of the first artists that came into our stable—Billy Schenck, Kevin Red Star, Shonto Begay, each inspired by the American West—alongside more recently added artists who interpret the region in their own distinct ways, [like] Angela Ellsworth, Eugene Tapahe [and] Jim Jacobs. Unbound will focus on a wide range of artists and perspectives within Modern West’s channeled vision: art that is ambitious, inspiring and reframes our understanding of the West.”

Billy Schenck, San Manuel Valley, oil on canvas, 30 x 50 in. 

Cooper notes a few of the major highlights in the exhibition: “We are thrilled to feature Phil Epp’s Tumbleweed, a brand new painting that incorporates the artist’s longtime muse of open land and sky, but, this time, breaking new ground: a single tumbleweed floating amongst vibrant, abstracted shapes. Epp, a decade-long member of the Cowboy Artists of America, is viewed as one of the most contemporary artists of the bunch with his quiet, surreal landscapes. Tumbleweed pushes his contemporary impulses even further, employing a barren gray sky juxtaposed with bright reds and blues, as if the subject were being whisked away into a wild, new adventure. 

Phil Epp, Turbine Field, 2022, acrylic on board, 20 x 40 in.

“In Alexandra Fuller’s ongoing installation project, A Participatory Universe, she strategically places a black aluminum frame in the landscape to both highlight and experiment with how our perspective changes once something is placed in a state of emphasis. Lake Landscape is a stunning selection from this series, one which makes the viewer question if the frame is a physical object on site or a result of post-production magic, meeting this intended sense of visual exploration.” 

Shonto Begay, Stands With Light, 2022, acrylic on canvas, 82 x 50 in.

She continues, “Arlo Namingha’s Four Directions nods to the Hopi symbolism of the four cardinal directions. The four limestone segments seamlessly line up with one another upon installation, but align in alternating directions, a symbol of the human choice to take different pathways. Even in opposition, they work together to create a whole. The artist considers the piece to be interactive, and invites disassemblage in order to create a dialogue between the artist and those interpreting the meaning behind the work.”

Sheldon Harvey, Halo at Midnight, 2022, oil on canvas, 54 x 54 in.

Part of Modern West’s new chapter is developing the ability to have traveling shows on a regional, national and international scale. Unbound: Art of the West will be the first venture in the journey, with plans to showcase an extended version of the exhibition at the St. George Museum of Art in St. George, Utah, this March.