THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN

Guess who just got back today? Them wild-eyed boys that had been away Haven't changed, had much to say But man, I still think them cats are crazy

JoAnne Artman Gallery is pleased to present The Boys Are Back in Town, an exhibition of new works by Billy Schenck and Greg Miller. The exhibition serves as an investigative tale told by wanderers,astheyroamcountryroadstodiscoverbothselfand national identity. Returning to JoAnne Artman Gallery’s New York space in style, the boys are back in town to present their visionsofAmerica.

SchenckandMillerhoneimagerythatisspecifictoeachoftheir practices-theWesterngenreandtheGoldenAgeofadvertising respectively.Knownforcheekilyplayfulcompositions,common motifs across both bodies of works include cowboys, femme fatales, and heroic vigilantes. Sourcing imagery from personal references,historicalprint,andSpaghettiWesternfilms,eachtie their compositional narratives to past eras. Exploring similar subject matter, the artists diverge into distinct styles- Schenck with his trademark Pop Western fusion, and Miller, combining the revered rebellion of the Wild West with his love for mixed mediaandCaliforniasurfculture.Throughskillfulintegrationof recognizable and sentimental images, Schenck and Miller capture a mirror of the real world through the merging of collectivememoryandpopphenomena.

Resonating visually and linguistically, their works are dynamic narrative forces that lay bare the dualities of perception. Integrating text, Schenck and Miller use language to add allegorical depth and social commentary. Utilizing the front, sides, and backs of his works, Greg Miller’s works are pieces of poetry. Examining the underlying foundations of imagery and text associated with American pop and consumerism, Miller combines collaged text with emblazed words across his compositions, reminiscent of magazine covers. Cutting words and phrases from ads and books, the meticulous placement revealsadeeper,hiddenmeaning.Inagraphic,comicbookstyle, Schenckusesspeechbubblesanddialoguestoconversewithhis viewers. Satirically examining the tropes, stereotypes, and machismo associated with the Old West, his comical and exaggeratedtextcoylyundermineWesternclichés,unexpectedly turning them on their head. Equal parts statement and observation, Schenck and Miller present wry, yet idealized, versions of a vintage past that is an amalgamation of personal nostalgia,folklore,andmythology.

Schenck and Miller’s work will inspire, provoke, engage and mesmerize. With visual perceptions always changing, peek behind the stories told and you're sure to find the right artisticexpression.

Published in conjunction with the exhibition: THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN: Billy Schenck + Greg Miller Fall 2023

JoAnneArtman Gallery

326 N Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA92651

346 N Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA92651

511AW 22nd St, NewYork, NY10011

Catalogue © JoAnneArtman Gallery

Artwork © Billy Schenck; Greg Miller