17 Oct In memoriam

Source Credit:  Content and images from Wall Street International Magazine by .  Read the original article - https://www.meer.com/en/84023-in-memoriam

LewAllen Galleries presents a memorial exhibition honoring the life and work of
renowned artist John Fincher opening October 25, 2024, and remaining on view through December 1, 2024. Fincher exhibited his work at LewAllen and its predecessor, the Elaine
Horwitch Galleries, for long periods starting in the late 1970s. He was named by a well-known

John Fincher’s passing on August 15 of this year has left an irreplaceable void in the Santa Fe
art community. A much beloved and masterful painter, monotype maker, and skilled draftsman,
Fincher explored diverse and captivating subjects—from piñon-dotted landscapes and shaving
brushes to prickly cactus and towering poplar trees. He often referred to these motifs as the
“trappings of the West”, celebrating the vibrant essence of the American Southwest with a unique
blend of humor, wit, and theatrical brilliance.

Fincher’s artistry was characterized by an
unyielding commitment to capturing the beauty of
his surroundings, producing works that could, in his
words, effortlessly “grab a viewer and make them
do a double take.” His sometimes epic-scale
paintings featured limbs thrusting from unseen
trunks, cacti exploding to fill canvases, and
botanicals floating through the sky, all rendered in
rich colors that radiate the mythic optimism and
spirit of the American Frontier.

In his work, Fincher crafted a semiotic archive of the West, reflecting themes of pride, strength,
and individualism. The American West, for him, was not just a backdrop; it was a reservoir of
mythic possibilities and new beginnings, and his art enshrined these powerful symbols in a
manner that resonated deeply with viewers.

Describing himself as a man of the West, Fincher’s colorful
close-ups of commonplace objects transformed the ordinary
into something profound. Dubbed Cowboy pop, his
approach mirrored the cultural transfigurations of urban artists
like Andy Warhol, yet his intention remained humble. As he
stated, “I never strive to be didactic. My paintings are all about
the place where I live. I want to paint things people will find
beautiful and enjoy living with”.

This exhibition honors Fincher’s ability to create uplifting,
engaging works devoid of kitsch or cliché. His mastery of
materiality, combined with his fluency in line, color, and light,
converged to produce art that inspires and reassures. The
“trappings” he depicted are symbols of authenticity. Fincher
celebrated the redemptive power of human imagination over
circumstance. There is a direct honesty in his images that
conjures grace from the commonplace.

It is art that inspires and reassures even as it
resonates the purity and possibility for new
beginnings that is inalterably paired in the mythic
imagination with the goodness and pristine majesty
that Fincher saw in his vision of the Southwest. His
art, rich in sophisticated beauty and powerful
meaning, resonates with the iconic elements at the
heart of America’s spirit.

Source Credit:  Content and images from Wall Street International Magazine by .  Read the original article - https://www.meer.com/en/84023-in-memoriam