BRENT GODFREY • IDENTITIES menu page

EXHIBITION DESCRIPTION • IDENTITIES

In his solo painting exhibition IDENTITIES, Godfrey contemplates the ongoing evolution of personal personas. Juxtaposing core values and traits with competing external manipulations, Godfrey’s paintings reflect upon what is immutable and idiosyncratic and what is fickle; subject to other people’s opinions and social forces.

As always, Godfrey’s paintings embrace a diversity of styles, creating assorted visuals that carry the eye and mind through unique journeys. Elements of figurative tradition blend with abstraction to consider the evolution of identity, the power of the individual and the strength of competing distractions.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I use the painting process to translate objects, figures and environments into physical metaphor. Combining varying degrees of abstraction and representation, I explore identity and memory, interpersonal relationships and societal structures.

My paintings are exercises in observation and expression. They focus on moments when meaning is revealed and understanding shaped through the triumvirate of intellectual, emotional and physical experiences. The surfaces of my paintings are records of mental exercises occurring as I work. Rejecting a singular style, I instead favor unfettered evolution based on craftsmanship, genuineness and creative freedom.

My recent paintings, culminating in the IDENTITIES exhibition, center on individualism. The subjects in my work portray the shaping of identities and their evolution, often aligning with Carl Jung in recognizing personality as a supreme realization of innate idiosyncrasy and an affirmation of self-determination.