Leigh Behnke | “Time Travelers and Triptychs”

Press release

Long Story Short is pleased to present Time Travelers and Triptychs, a solo exhibition by Leigh Behnke, on view from February 23 to March 31, 2024 at 52 Henry St, New York, NY, 10002.

Time Travelers and Triptychs showcases Leigh Behnke as a master colorist and a fine figurative painter while she skillfully merges individual images with light, offering a fresh perspective on canvases and panels. Her works evoke contemplation of the future by strategically placing historical artifacts in contemporary settings, reflecting on our treatment of the present, and symbolizing universal experiences with metaphorical depth.

Behnke seamlessly blends romantic and seductive lighting in her works – Time Traveler III/Ghost Ship and Ship In Snow utilizes warm and cool tones to vividly depict different times of day or seasons, anchoring historical objects in forward-looking scenes.

Viewers are drawn into a world of allure and mystery, prompting contemplation of the future as inseparable from our present actions. Edith In Oregon Winter and Flaneur and Furie I depict historical artifacts in contemporary settings, subtly conveying Behnke's exploration of how our present choices shape the future. Additionally, works like Flaneur and Furie seamlessly blend sculptural figures from different museums, offering a metaphorical glimpse into universal experiences symbolized by specific images or locations.

Behnke's current work is inspired by the Master of the Furies, an ivory carver from the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria, whom she considers her initial muse. This influence is evident in pieces like Behnke’s triptychs – Empire and Swerve. Transferring her inspiration on canvas, Behnke created multiple series based on historical works and locations while drawing connections to childhood myths. The fall of Icarus, in his overzealous attempt to touch the sun, mythologizes humanity’s collective plight with the intercontinental and interconnected challenges we’ve bestowed upon ourselves––Behnke reflects on this fall by simultaneously evoking beauty and desperation.

Leigh Behnke, a distinguished American painter from New York City, is celebrated for her multi-panel representational paintings that intricately explore perception, experience, and interpretation. Achieving recognition in the 1980s amidst a resurgence of interest in imagery and Contemporary Realism, Behnke's recent work, "Your History Is Your Future: Time Travelers," upholds her method of combining multiple images into single panels. A Pratt Institute BFA and New York University MA graduate, Behnke received E.D. Foundation Grants in 1999 and 2000 and a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship in 2013. Behnke has also contributed to art education, taught at Kent State Blossom Program and the School of Visual Arts, and served as a Master Teacher and Panelist for the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. Captivating solo exhibitions in prestigious galleries showcase the evolution of Behnke’s distinctive artistic vision. Explore more on Wikipedia.