Scott Greene: Bewilderness

November 29, 2015 – January 9, 2016

November 29, 2015 – January 9, 2016

516 ARTS spotlights two of Albuquerque’s most prolific painters with concurrent solo exhibitions exploring contemporary changes in the landscape while referencing the rich history of classical and 19th century American Landscape painting. Scott Greene: Bewilderness is featured downstairs and Beau Carey: Rise is upstairs.

“Bewilderness exists beyond imagination, myth and reality. It is located somewhere between Arcadia and dystopia, and where the past and present collide. It is a state of mind in which contradiction is essential and even celebrated. Awe-inspiring natural beauty revealed to be a construct, it is a refuge with no shelter, a place of spiritual certainty, utter confusion and blissful ignorance.

My work explores the balance between the natural environment and artificial constructs, and questions that the two are mutually exclusive. The notion of prisine wilderness as an embodiement of the sublime endures, yet exists side by side with the idea of nature as something to be controlled and exploited. I believe it could be argued that beauty in nature is a construct, and that all human activity, no matter how artificial and deleterious to the environment, is not only part of evolution, but also possesses some semblance of beauty.”

Scott Greene studied at California College of the Arts before receiving his BFA in painting from San Francisco Art Institute in 1981, and his MFA in painting from the University of New Mexico in 1994. A recipient of the Roswell Artist in Residency Grant, he has exhibited nationally and internationally at the Kulturtorvet Gallery, Copenhagen, Austin Museum of Art, Canton Museum of Art, Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, Albuquerque Museum, and the Kohler Art Center. His work has been featured in Harpers, McSweeneys, Zyzzyva, Artweek and New American Paintings. Greene’s work has been represented by Catharine Clark Gallery, San Francisco since 2003.
The wilderness as an embodiment of the sublime endures, yet exists side by side with the idea of nature as something to be controlled and exploited. I believe it could be argued that beauty in nature is a construct, and that all human activity, no matter how artificial and deleterious to the environment, is not only part of evolution, but also possesses some semblance of beauty.”

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Scott Greene studied at California College of the Arts before receiving his BFA in painting from San Francisco Art Institute in 1981, and his MFA in painting from the University of New Mexico in 1994. A recipient of the Roswell Artist in Residency Grant, he has exhibited nationally and internationally at the Kulturtorvet Gallery, Copenhagen, Austin Museum of Art, Canton Museum of Art, Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, Albuquerque Museum, and the Kohler Art Center. His work has been featured in Harpers, McSweeneys, Zyzzyva, Artweek and New American Paintings. Greene’s work has been represented by Catharine Clark Gallery, San Francisco since 2003.

Press

Kathaleen Roberts, “Stark Beauty,” Albuquerque Journal

Maggie Grimason, “Presence and Absence in the Landscape,” Alibi

Wesley Pulkka, “Modern Perspectives,” Albuquerque Journal