Decades-old pieces of art featured in downtown gallery’s exposition

The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts’ exhibit #BemisPainters offers an opportunity to travel back through time in a single art exhibition.

Bemis was founded in 1981 by Jun Kaneko, Tony Hepburn, Lorne Falk and Ree Schonlau. These four artists created the startup artist residence program to produce a “laboratory for artists to research, experiment and take creative risks free from expectation.”

Beginning in the mid-90s, Bemis developed a progressively competitive program with 1,200 artists opting for the 36 residencies. They became an internationally recognized organization and leader of the arts.

Due to Bemis’ expansion in popularity, new additions and renovations were allowed on the space off of 12th and Leavenworth. These alterations allowed the residence to become more functional for artists and for visitors.

According to bemiscenter.org, “The mission of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts is to provide residency opportunities to artists from around the world, so that they may develop new ideas, expand their practice and engage the community.”

#BemisPainters features artists and works of art from 1980 to 2015. The display was especially interesting because viewers could experience the subtle but ever so prominent evolution of art over the past 35 years.

One painting that really stood out was that of Richard C. Cox. When one walks into the exhibit, his painting is the first one you see. It’s a deep red, simplistic painting with black accents. The painting is quite large but that doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be the center of attention.

One of the most striking paintings featured is Aaron Stork’s “View Off Home Depot’s Garden Patio.” Stork was a resident in 2011, the same year the painting was created. The work includes cinder blocks, an orange sky, exotic plants and flowers and an 8-pack of canned Sprite. It may seem like an odd mix of factors but Stork makes it work incredibly well.

Another painting that caught my eye was one of Bob Koon’s “representations”. When you first look at the painting, you may do a double take because you may believe there is something wrong with your vision.

Koon paints in such a way where colors are distinct but blurry at the same time. In order to figure out what it is you’re looking at, you must look at the painting a first time and conjure an answer. The second or third time you look at it, you can contemplate whether or not your decision is a practical one.

The reason why Koon’s painting is so intriguing is because it makes you think. If a work of art doesn’t somehow stimulate an individual’s mind, the effort is unsuccessful.

Overall, #BemisPainters is a fascinating exposition. The progression of art in the past three decades is amazing to witness in one single exhibit. I’d recommend #BemisPainters to any aspiring painters and artists and to those who are interested in the history of contemporary art in Omaha.

Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts is open Wednesday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Admission and parking are free. The Center can be contacted by phone at (402) 341-7130. It is located at 724 South 12th Street Omaha, Neb. 68102. #BemisPainters is open for viewing from July 16 – Oct. 10.