Mark Beck "American Narratives"

M AR K BE C K A M E R I C A N N A R R AT I V E S

MARK BECK A MERICAN NARR ATIVES AU G U ST 1 - 3 1 , 2 0 18

PATRICIA RO VZAR GALL E RY 1111 First Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101 www.rovzargaller y.com

Mark Beck creates iconic paintings of the “American Dream”. His canvases reveal his personal experiences and ideas on what it means to be an American, and his subject matter focuses on stark images of homes, buildings, the ocean and landscapes which tend to illuminate certain aspects of American conditions. Exposed to the Hudson River Valley painters early in life, Beck was in awe of this group of artists and their ability to convey the incredible beauty and contrasts of their valley. Beck’s paintings reflect upon this beauty, yet urge us to reconcile the schism between the lush, radiant images of Manifest Destiny and the more sobering visions of American life, exemplified by renowned artists Edward Hopper and Ben Shahn, whose works continue to inspire Beck. In recent paintings, Beck has pared down his images and created tension with odd juxtapositions of American beauty, tragedy and culture.

Born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Beck studied at the Portland School of Art in Maine. For four years Beck worked teaching inmates to paint at the maximum security prison The California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo. “I’ve always credited that experience with being a continuing and fascinating source of inspiration for my paintings,” said Beck. “Many aspects of the prison system and the people incarcerated there can teach us a lot about our life here in America.”

Sold Down the River oil & acrylic on canvas 50”x 66”

Throughout my practice, I have explored content through many and varied subjects. Consistently, my

main interest and enduring aim has been to identify the subtexts of what America is and what is really going on under the surface.

Much of this underlying story is revealed, in my opinion, in museums, not only by what is in their collections but by what is not. Particularly noteworthy is the lack of Black figures (both artists and subjects). Considering the essential role of Black people in the formation of America and the enormously rich contributions of Black Americans, I find this to be one of the most disturbing, yet revealing mirrors of American life.

As a white male I recognize the privilege that goes with that status and am keenly aware of the social blindness it can engender. In my late twenties, I was hired to teach painting to prison inmates through the Arts in Corrections program at UCLA. I worked in a major California maximum security prison. This was an eye-opening experience. I worked for several years with inmates at every level of convict - from lifers (murderers) to those who were convicted for less serious crimes. After four years, I came away from that experience with a strange, uneasy feeling about not only the prison system but America’s general perception of prison, inmates, crime and race.

James Baldwin, one of my favorite writers, said the history of a people is never pretty. I would add to that: it is far less pretty when a nation hides behind the notion of exceptionalism. This quintessentially American myth has served to stop us in our tracks; it discourages inquiry into how this country really came to be and why we seem to be stuck in that not so pretty past. There can be no reconciliation for that which is not faced.

Consider the controversy around the removal of Confederate monuments, many of which were erected during the civil rights era as a bid to bolster white supremacy. The Confederacy lost the war and were charged (and pardoned) as traitors but they won the narrative on how the South would go down in history. They turned racial domination and brutality into “legacy� and thus, the pathology of racial divide has flourished since the Civil War. My new body of work began less than a year ago. Up to that point I had presented few pieces with Black portraits as my subject. Part of that was my own trepidation about being a white artist painting Black people and my other concern was the possibility that I might make perceptual missteps. At this point I am willing to take that risk.

The work needed to be both beautiful and visually engaging, but more importantly, it needed to honor the dignity and strength of the people who since the 17th century have been on American soil, and yet, have not had an equal voice in the narrative of their own country.

Mark Beck, August 2018

Not Too Loud oil & acrylic on canvas 54”x 42”

Amercian Pastoral oil & acrylic on canvas 32”x 40”

Wash Day oil & acrylic on canvas 48”x 108”

White Wash oil & acrylic on canvas 48”x 60”

Crumbling Down oil on canvas 28”x 32”

Rural County, 1948 oil on canvas 48”x 44”

Hopper’s Island oil on canvas 18”x 24”

One Drop Rule oil on canvas 32”x 40”

The Tree oil & acrylic on canvas 46”x 58”

SELECTED LIST OF SOLO EXHIBITIONS

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PATRICIA RO V ZA R G A L L ERY, A M ERI C A N N AR R ATI VE , S E ATTL E , WA

SUE GREENWO O D G A L L ERY, U NTO L D STO R I E S , L AG UN A BE AC H, C A

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TREES PL A C E G A L L ERY, M A RK B EC K, NE W PAI N TI N G S , O R L E AN S , MA

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SUE GREENWO O D F I NE A RT, NEW PA I NT IN G S BY MAR K BE C K , L AG UN A BE AC H, C A

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SUE GREENWO O D F I NE A RT, SO L O EX H I B I TI O N , L AG UN A BE AC H, C A

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SAN LUIS O B I SP O M U SEU M O F A RT, M A RK BE C K PAI N TI N G L I VE , S AN L UI S O BI S P O , C A

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SAN LUIS O B I SP O M U SEU M O F A RT, M A RK BE C K PAI N TI N G L I VE , S AN L UI S O BI S P O , C A

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THE VAULT G A L L ERY, NEW PA I NTI NG S, CAMBR I A, C AL I F O R N I A

SUE GREENWO O D F I NE A RT, NEW W O RK BY MAR K BE C K , L AG UN A BE AC H, C A

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SUE GREENWO O D F I NE A RT, SO L O EX H I B I TI O N , L AG UN A BE AC H, C A

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CALDWEL L SNY D ER G A L L ERY, SO L O EX H I BI TI O N , S AN F R AN C I S C O , C A

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J. CACCIO L A G A L L ERY, NEW Y O RK, NY

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J. CACCIO L A G A L L ERY, NEW Y O RK, NY

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J. CACCIO L A G A L L ERY, NEW Y O RK, NY

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J. CACCIO L A G A L L ERY, NEW Y O RK, NY

PETER BL A KE G A L L ERY, L A G U NA B EA C H , C A

THE ARTS F U ND SA NTA B A RB A RA , SO L O E XHI BI T, S AN TA BAR BAR A, C A

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CALIFO RN I A STAT E U NI V ERSI T Y, JU L I A N A. MC P HE E G AL L E RY, S AN L UI S O BI S P O , C A

DIANE NEL SO N G A L L ERY, L A G U NA B EA C H , C A

PUBLICATIONS

MARIN M AG AZINE – EX T RA O RD I NA RY L I V I NG , J U N E 2 0 0 8 , C O VE R O F MAG AZ I N E – PAI N TI N G : “ C AP E W I N D - W E L L FLEET” AMERICAN ART COLLE C TO R MA G A Z I N E, D EC EM BE R 2 0 0 7 I S S UE AN D J ULY 2 0 0 6 I S S UE CO A S T M AG AZIN E, A P RI L 2005 I SSU E. C O L L EC TO R BAR C L AY BUTE R A I N TE R I O R D E S I G N F E ATUR I N G MAR K BECK PAINTINGS, PG. 88.

CO UNTRY H O M E M A G A Z I NE , SEP T. 2005 I SSU E. HO L LY W O O D S E Q UE L , A VI N TAG E L O S AN G E L E S HO ME BE C O MES AN E LEGANT BACKDRO P …” P G S. 73-75.

SOUTH WES T A RT MA G A Z I NE , D EC . 2004 I SSU E, C O VE R S TO RY, THE HO MI N G I N S TI N C T: PAI N TI N G HO US E S AN D OTH ER STRUCTURES ALLO WS M A RK B EC K TO CO M M ENT O N TH E HUMA N C O NDI T I O N , B Y ED I TO R BO N N I E G AN G L E HO F F. P G S . 9 2 - 9 5 .

CRO S S WINDS WEE KLY , A L B U Q U ERQ U E, NM , A U G US T 1 4 , 2 0 0 3 , P G . 2 6 , ART S C E N E R E VI E W BY L . P O L I S AR .

ALBUQUERQUE JO URNA L, A U G U ST 17, 2003, PAG E F 6 , ART R E VI E W BY W E S L E Y P UL K K A. ALBUQUERQUE A LI B I, A U G U ST 21, 2003, P G . 25 , ART R E VI E W BY S TE VE N R O BE RT AL L E N .

SOUTH WES T A RT MA G A Z I NE , M A RC H 2001 I SSU E . – N AME D “ TO P C O N TE MP O R ARY R E AL I S T” W I TH F E ATUR E ARTICLE. METRO PO LITA N HO ME MA G A Z I NE , D EL L A RO B I A I TAL I A, AD C AMPAI G N , MAY 2 0 0 3 , MAY 2 0 0 2 , I S S UE S . F E ATU R ED PAINTING: “INDUS T RI A L B U I L D I NG .”

CO A S T M AG AZINE , C O V ER, M AY 1999 I SSU E. F EATUR E D PAI N TI N G O N C O VE R : “ HO US E BY THE S E A. ” L O S ANG ELES TIM E S , (W I TH T V SERI ES NY P D B L U E ) D E C E MBE R 8 , 1 9 9 7 . I N TE RVI E W W I TH D I R E C TO R PAR I S BA R CLAY. B ARCLAY REQUEST ED P ERM I SSI O N TO FILM A PAINTING H E O WNS O F B EC K’S F O R H I S TV S E R I E S F I N AL E AN D WAS P HO TO G R AP HE D W I TH THI S PAI N TI N G FOR T HE LA TIMES INT ERV I EW. F EAT U RED PAINTING: “REMOT E FA C I L I TY.” PA S A DENA M AG AZI NE , C O V ER, W I NTER 1996 I S S UE AN D ART R E VI E W O F TW I N PAL MS S HO W, PAS AD E N A BR IDGE. PAINTING: “CONT EM P L AT I NG SU I C I D E B RI D G E.” ORA NG E CO UNTY MA G A Z I NE , J U NE 1992 I SSU E . F E ATUR E ARTI C L E “ S P E C TAC UL AR HO ME S O F O R AN G E C O U NTY,” PAINTING: “INDUS T RI A L B U I L D I NG .”

B ETTER H O M ES AND G A RDE NS , A P RI L 2005 I SSUE - THE W E S T C O AS T C O L L E C TO R , PAG E 1 5 2 PAINTING FEATURED I N H B O ’S “I N T REAT M ENT” W I TH G ABR I E L BY R N E , PAI N TI N G TI TL E D “ TR UR O BAR N S ” U S ED IN T WO EPISODES – A P RI L 2009.

PUBLICATIONS

FIRST PLACE, PAIN TI NG , SA NTA B A RB A RA A RTS F UN D , I N D I VI D UAL ARTI S TS AWAR D , JUR I E D C O MP E TI TI O N , 1 9 99 FIRST PLACE, PAIN TI NG , B A NK O F A M ERI C A A C H I E VE ME N T AWAR D , 1 9 7 4