Work of contemporary Western artist on display at Quigley Hall

 

Art is intended to provoke thought and emotion. Yet, when it does, it is not uncommon for the end result to be censorship and even banishment of an artist from

Art is intended to provoke thought and emotion. Yet, when it does, it is not uncommon for the end result to be censorship and even banishment of an artist from displaying his or her work. Censorship can be found throughout centuries of art history.

Such is the case for the work of Ryan Austin Lee — one of the featured artists in this month’s “Piturra Narrativa” exhibition in Quigley Hall on the Western State Colorado University campus.

Lee — a Denver artist — portrays Western themes with an edgier style. Often classic cars and men in suits are featured surrounded by more traditional western characters such as cowboys or Native Americans. Each piece tells a story — and hence, fits with the narrative work displayed at Quigley.

But it was this edgier presentation which led to controversy at the Coors Western Art Show, run in conjunction with the National Western Stock Show.

Lee was invited to display his work at the 2017 event, but later learned his piece, "Fashionably Late," was removed from the show. The mixed media piece depicts a Native American suspended in air with a tomahawk in hand over two couples wearing suits and dresses while having cake and cocktails.

In 2018, Lee was invited back to the show and offered an advanced showing of his work. Again, two pieces were banned from the show — "Legacy," which depicts a Native American woman taking a "selfie" with her people in the background, and "Frontier Propaganda" which shows cowboys engaging in graffiti. Lee said he was told "Legacy" was "culturally belittling."

"I call it 'Legacy' because this lady is proud of who her people are," Lee said at Western's convocation last Thursday. "I never set out to be controversial in my work, but somehow my work has turned out to be controversial."

Lee describes his work as contemporary Western, in which he tries to evoke a sense of the Old West warring with current day intrusion.

"I have this view of who is invading the West, with their bubble Patagonia jackets and their Audis and their ski passes," said Lee. "I was mad about it and am still mad. I've had to see friends leave and my art started to reflect that. This is the Old West versus the New West."

Interestingly enough, it was "Fashionably Late" that caught the eye of Western Quigley Gallery Director Jeff Taylor and linked Lee to the Gunnison Valley.

"I saw that painting and I burst out laughing," recalled Taylor. "I got what he was getting at, and I appreciated his ability to work on that level of humor but at the same time dealing with some pretty heavy topics.”

Taylor was invited to meet Lee and the two hit it off immediately. Taylor said they have stayed in touch and become friends. That friendship has led to two shows in the Gunnison Valley — one at the Crested Butte Center for the Arts this past October through December, and this latest showing at Quigley.

When Lee was rejected from the Coors show for a second time — and ultimately banned for life — Taylor told him it was a "Salon des Refusés" moment, referring to a 19th century French exhibit of rejected work.

"(I told him) it's where you have stood up for the integrity of your art and it's a very important moment in your career, and be glad that you stood by your art and other people will too," Taylor said. "We showed it in Crested Butte and I think a lot of people understood it. These are complicated works and Crested Butte is a very sophisticated art scene."

It is the story-telling quality of Lee's work which makes it a perfect fit with the “Pittura Narrativa” exhibit this month.

Narrative paintings encompass works that express concepts, ideas, philosophies, stories or any number of contenttexts. The medium employs the power of visual images to provoke thoughts, arouse feelings and stimulate the intellect. A narrative work can call into question commonly accepted beliefs, relate histories or challenge authority.

"In the 19th century narrative art was the de facto art — it was cinema before cinema," Taylor explained. "This idea of constant rivalry and zero-sum game is being expressed in that way. And therefore I felt his work could really fit in with the wider goals of the exhibition."

The exhibit — curated by Taylor — runs through Feb. 22, and also features the work of Carrie Ann Baade, Marcus Goldson, Anders Johnson and Don Eugene Seastrum.

The Quigley Gallery is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. The gallery also will be open for the Gunnison First Friday Art Walk, 5-8 p.m. on Feb. 2.

(Chris Rourke can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or at chris.rourke@gunnisontimes.com)