Present Tense: Critical Conversations on Contemporary Landscapes

October 6 – June 29, 2024

Bates Permanent Collection Gallery

Presented in three parts, Present Tense pairs the monumental painting, 15 Canvas Study of the Grand Canyon by beloved Pop painter David Hockney, on loan from Art Bridges, with the work of Florida artists at various stages in their careers. The first piece featured alongside Hockney’s work is a painting by Dean Mitchell from his award-winning Reservation series. These social realist works depict the poverty found in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Native American community located in Arizona, breaking from the often romanticized views of the American West. In the spring, work by collaborative team Christopher Rivera and Sam McCoy present works created in a plein air process that mirrors Hockney’s work. Both aim to capture what Hockney called the essence of an “unphotographable place” in the vast spaces of the outdoors. Part three highlights the capacity of contemporary art to raise awareness, mixed media artist Holly Hanessian discuss concerns about human impact upon the environment through their work.

Generous support for this project is provided by Art Bridges.

PART ONE: 

Present Tense:

David Hockney with Dean Mitchell 

October 6 – December 16, 2023 

Part one of Present Tense pairs the monumental painting, 15 Canvas Study of the Grand Canyon by beloved Pop painter David Hockney, on loan from Art Bridges, with nationally renowned artist Dean Mitchell’s series, Reservation Series. Both Hockney and Mitchell refer to an environment’s effect upon those living in it. Mitchell’s work breaks from the traditional, often romanticized view of the American West, as we might call Hockney’s piece. After visiting the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Native American community located in Arizona, Mitchell was struck by the inaccuracy of popular portrayals of Native Peoples. He was especially moved by how similar the Pima-Maricopa’s living conditions were to where he grew up in Quincy, Florida, well aware of the emotional toll of growing up living in an impoverished community. Mitchell is a world-renowned portrait painter, yet in this series, he excludes the human figure. American West speaks frankly of the landscape’s deep impact on the psyche of the people who live in it. As Mitchell says, “These are more than just buildings. These are their lives.”

PART TWO:

Present Tense:

David Hockney with Christopher Rivera & Sam McCoy 

January 13 – March 23, 2024 

Part two of Present Tense pairs the monumental painting, 15 Canvas Study of the Grand Canyon by beloved Pop painter David Hockney, on loan from Art Bridges, with work by Tallahassee artists Christopher Rivera and Sam McCoy. Rivera and McCoy’s plein air process mirrors Hockney’s many pilgrimages to the Grand Canyon to capture what he called the essence of an “unphotographable place.” With the same joy, reverence, and intensity of color displayed in Hockney’s work, Rivera and McCoy use paint to immortalize the Florida landscape. “All images are artificial in some way… but what the hand, the eye, and the heart can do – and paint – can never be replaced.” – David Hockney.