A series of paintings exploring the transient nature of our built environment by artist Kevin Bell. Bell currently teaches art at the University of Montana. His own work often investigates contemporary landscapes and how they reflect shifting cultural values and narratives. “Western (re)Vision” sees Bell choosing to paint in a way that conveys shifting dynamics and the sense that things “will look different tomorrow”:

“I have chosen to paint many elements incompletely, in fragmented splatters, drips, and glazes to emphasize their lack of solidity and definitiveness. From these fragments, our cultural needs and desires are often revealed: movement, disposability, convenience. While not majestic or inherently aesthetic, I try to paint these banal places with a degree of sympathy. In some sense, it is an attempt to try to love this strange world we have created. The views in these paintings were selected because they have historical roots. All locations were described in 19th-century journals by European American settlers relocating to western North America. I revisit these locations to discover what they mean to us now, and, for better or worse, glimpse what came before. Text from these journals can be found on my website.”

Kevin Bell’s project is on display at A-Gallery in Seattle and runs until January 3, 2026.