{"id":89660,"date":"2025-01-16T14:49:47","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T21:49:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/?p=89660"},"modified":"2025-05-05T07:04:56","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T14:04:56","slug":"american-mythology-blurring-reality-and-imagination-in-jerrin-wagstaffs-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/american-mythology-blurring-reality-and-imagination-in-jerrin-wagstaffs-art\/","title":{"rendered":"American Mythology: Blurring Reality and Imagination in Jerrin Wagstaff’s Art"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Gallery

Installation view of “American Mythology” at Modern West Fine Art, with work by Jerrin Wagstaff including, from left, “American Landscape: Sunset,” “American Landscape: Storm” and “Puget Sound: 1870.” Image by Nolan Flynn.<\/p><\/div>\n

Jerrin Wagstaff\u2019s American Mythology,<\/i> currently on display at Modern West, is a profound exploration of abstraction, narrative, and the myths embedded in the American landscape. Seamlessly blending historical context with a striking visual language, Wagstaff creates works that are at once accessible and challenging, inviting viewers to grapple with the layered complexities of his art.<\/h4>\n

Abstract art often leaves viewers uncertain about how to interpret it, but Wagstaff offers an inviting entry point into his creative process. His exhibition traces a clear trajectory, from pencil drawings to collages to grand, layered paintings. This transparency allows audiences to engage deeply with his work, fostering an appreciation for the progression of his ideas. Modern West, with its natural light and intimate yet spacious design, provides an ideal setting for his pieces, which range from large-scale canvases to smaller, intricate studies. Together, they form a symphony of scale and depth, amplifying the exhibition\u2019s emotional and intellectual resonance.<\/h4>\n

The title American Mythology<\/i> immediately raises questions: What constitutes a myth? How does it shape our understanding of the American landscape? Wagstaff engages with these questions by building on the legacy of historical depictions, particularly those rooted in Romanticism. His early sketches, such as scenes of 19th-century trappers\u2019 camps or the Puget Sound, are highly detailed yet embryonic, grounding viewers in a shared cultural memory. These works evoke the spirit of exploration, offering glimpses of a world both familiar and distant.<\/h4>\n
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Jerrin Wagstaff, ‘Puget Sound 1870,’ 2020, pencil on paper, 16 x 24 in.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Jerrin Wagstaff, ‘American Landscape: Prototype #12,’ 2023, collage, 14.5 x 19.5 in.<\/p><\/div>\n

Wagstaff\u2019s collages, like “American Landscape Prototype 12,” deepen this sense of inquiry. Juxtaposing fragments of historical paintings and photographs, he recontextualizes them to challenge our perceptions of the past. These works are critical and inquisitive, prompting viewers to question: When was the last time we truly explored? What does it mean to see these landscapes anew in the modern era? By blurring the boundaries between personal experience and collective memory, Wagstaff creates a dialogue that feels both urgent and timeless.<\/h4>\n

The heart of the exhibition lies in Wagstaff\u2019s large-scale paintings, which blend identifiable elements with fragments born of his imagination. His fragmented compositions juxtapose sharp edges with soft gradients, negative spaces with intricate structures, creating dynamic interplays of texture and form. In works like “Ultrascape No. 1,” luminous sunsets and serene landscapes collide with frenetic collage elements, offering a dreamlike sense of exploration. His brushstrokes, precise yet expressive, imbue each piece with energy and intention.<\/h4>\n

Color plays a pivotal role in Wagstaff\u2019s work. Desaturated tones mingle with vibrant hues, creating a sense of depth and movement. In “Ultrascape No. 7,” paper-thin trees twist against rigid mountain forms, evoking an otherworldly beauty that invites viewers to question their relationship with the natural world. These surreal, layered compositions reflect Wagstaff\u2019s ability to balance accessibility with complexity, drawing viewers into his visionary landscapes while challenging them to reconsider their place within them.<\/h4>\n
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Jerrin Wagstaff, ‘American Landscape: Winter,’ 2024, oil on canvas, 30 x 36 in<\/p><\/div>\n

Wagstaff\u2019s work also engages critically with the medium of painting itself. His pieces nod to Romantic painters like Albert Bierstadt, but rather than replicate their motifs, he reimagines them for contemporary audiences. His paintings critique traditional notions of landscape art while honoring its legacy, constructing “new realities” that feel dynamic and engaging. As Wagstaff notes in his artist statement, his goal is to reveal constructed truths, narratives shaped by history and imagination alike. This tension between reality and fiction imbues his work with a timeless quality, making it as captivating as it is thought-provoking.<\/h4>\n

What sets American Mythology<\/i> apart is its ability to provoke dialogue about the past, present and future. Wagstaff\u2019s art reflects on the epic narratives of American history while envisioning potential futures shaped by exploration, transformation, and human intervention. Pieces like “American Landscape,” “Winter” and “Ultrascape 21” exemplify his innovative use of color and form, blending glowing purples, whites, and desaturated tones to create a psychedelic, three-dimensional effect. These works challenge perceptions while remaining rooted in a tangible sense of place, whether real or imagined.<\/h4>\n

Ultimately, Wagstaff\u2019s exhibition is more than a visual experience; it is an invitation to journey into the unknown. By weaving the historical with the contemporary, he offers viewers a chance to engage with the mythical and the real, rediscovering a sense of wonder and curiosity about the landscapes we inhabit. American Mythology<\/i> stands as a testament to Wagstaff\u2019s ability to push beyond expectations, crafting art that is as mesmerizing as it is meaningful.<\/h4>\n

\"Gallery<\/div>\n

Jerrin Wagstaff: American Mythology<\/em>, Modern West Fine Art<\/a>, Salt Lake City, through Mar. 14<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jerrin Wagstaff\u2019s American Mythology, currently on display at Modern West, is a profound exploration of abstraction, narrative, and the myths embedded in the American landscape. Seamlessly blending historical context with a striking visual language, Wagstaff creates works that are at once accessible and challenging, inviting viewers to grapple […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1626,"featured_media":89665,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_piecal_is_event":false,"_piecal_start_date":"","_piecal_end_date":"","_piecal_is_allday":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89660","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exhibition_reviews","category-visual_arts"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/AmericanLandscape-Winter.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-06 18:04:05","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89660","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1626"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89660"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89660\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":92702,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89660\/revisions\/92702"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89660"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artistsofutah.org\/15Bytes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}