Billy2, 10/20/25, 1:05 PM, 8C, 7912×9980 (49+166), 100%, Repro 2.2 v2, 1/20 s, R85.8, G60.3, B75.9

Salt Lake City

February 12 – April 30, 2026
Opening reception: Friday, February 20, 6–8 pm

Marking a new chapter for the gallery in its South Temple location, Unbound: Art of the West reflects on Modern West’s history while looking forward to the evolving possibilities of Western art. The exhibition brings together more than 20 artists whose practices are rooted in, inspired by, or in conversation with the Western region, foregrounding work that challenges inherited narratives and expands how the West can be imagined today.

Drawing inspiration from Modern West’s represented modernists—Louis Ribak and Beatrice Mandelman, who left New York City to pursue their work in the vast Western landscape—the exhibition traces a lineage from early modernist departures to the gallery’s current roster of innovative contemporary artists. Unbound highlights works that push the parameters of form, content, and cultural meaning, emphasizing ambition, experimentation, and a forward-looking spirit.

Featured artists include Shonto Begay, Michael Coles, Shalee Cooper, Angela Ellsworth, Phil Epp, Alexandra Fuller, Kiki Gaffney, Sheldon Harvey, Suzanne Hill, Jim Jacobs, Beatrice Mandelman, Ed Mell, Arlo Namingha, Stanley Natchez, Kevin Red Star, Louis Ribak, Billy Schenck, Woody Shepherd, Ben Steele, Eugene Tapahe, and Mike Whiting.

To further emphasize Modern West’s commitment to collaboration and partnership, Unbound: Art of the West will travel to the St. George Museum of Art, where an updated iteration of the exhibition will be on view March 14 – May 30, 2026.

Modern West Fine Art
242 E. South Temple
Salt Lake City, UT

Listings

15 Bytes posts press releases regarding the arts in Utah, including exhibitions, call for entries, job opportunities, workshops, art talks. Send your press releases to listings@artistsofutah.org. Please include an expiration date for your posting.