Wes Hempel : Recent Paintings

Wes Hempel delves into art history to explore our understanding of contemporary culture.  In the style of the classical masters, Hempel meticulously renders appropriated images of classical art in contact with contemporary figures. Hempel’s theater of juxtaposed context and events create compelling narratives that offer his insight into issues both topical and personal. Wes Hempel has exhibited extensively in the United States and is included in private collections across the U.S. and abroad. 

Hempel has received creative fellowships for both literature and art from the Colorado Council on the Arts.  In addition to showings in public venues, such as the Aspen Art Museum, Hempel’s work can be found in numerous permanent collections including those of the Denver Art Museum in Colorado, the Columbus Museum in Georgia and the Microsoft Corporation Collection in Seattle, Washington.

Since the mid-1990’s, Jack Balas and Wes Hempel have been collaborating on unique works, creating a compelling dialogue between these two distinct artists.  Hempel’s neo-classicist style combines with Balas’ complex associative vocabulary to infuse the work with a sharp wit, surprising surface, and rare sense of intimacy.