Joachim West: Revelations

Joachim west: revelations

June 29- August 3, 2024

Press Release

A window into Joachim West's evolving artistic journey amid a profound cultural and technological transformation, the exhibition "Revelations” unveils a collection of works that challenge human’s simplistic perceptions of nature. Through a dynamic interplay of narrative, social critique, and whimsy, West's creations shift between moments of levity and introspection, characterized by intricate detail and deliberate abstraction. As a dedicated artist, Joachim's portfolio has many pieces that transcend traditional boundaries, thanks to his adept use of mediums and styles. Through a blend of paintings and drawings, Joachim presents a world where humanity is engrossed in creating a fantastical realm, oblivious to the plight of Mother Earth and her inhabitants. Despite their immersion in this alternate reality, humans continue to exploit natural resources for their desires. West's ability to portray social criticism with a sense of lightheartedness results in art pieces that are simultaneously profound and playful. The hyper-detailed compositions in "Revelations" capture the solemnity and whimsy of the human experience, inviting viewers to contemplate the complexities of contemporary existence through a unique artistic lens.

About the Artist

Joachim’s mother reports that she knew that Joachim would be an artist since he first held a crayon. His family encouraged his development by enrolling him in classes and private lessons since he was a young child. He pursued an art degree at a Texas University and then moved to Spain to earn an MFA. Joachim’s art has at times captured the attention of the press both nationally and internationally. His work has been featured on CBS News, Yahoo News, Channel 5 News United Kingdom, Artnet, the Dallas Morning News, The Independent, D Magazine, The Dallas Observer, Arts & Culture and numerous other publications. Joachim’s work has been displayed at the Meadows Museum of Art and at various other private and public art spaces nationally and internationally.

ARTIST Statement

I just had a conversation that went something like this:
Tom: “What are you going to write about in your artist statement”?
Me: “I’m just going to brag about how I feel like sometimes my work is so timely that it’s prophetic.”
Tom: “People aren’t going to like that. They won’t like you if you do that. Why don’t you write something artistic? Maybe you should write about your process?”
Me: “Someone should point it out. I hate bragging about myself but if I don’t do it, who will? Besides, my process is totally different depending on what I’m making so it’s too complicated.”
Tom: “Why can’t you just do what everyone else is doing? You have an MFA; you know how to write an artist statement that people won’t think is weird. Do you want people to think you are weird?”
Me: “I don’t care if people think that I’m weird. Let them think that I’m weird.”
Tom: “This is how you always are. You do this with your art as well. You don’t listen to anybody; you just make whatever you want.”

show statement

This exhibition: “Revelations,” reflects the mind and the practice of Joachim West over several years as the world undergoes a momentous cultural and technological shift. The main body of work featured in “Revelations” is a body of paintings and drawings that attack a common and naïve view of nature where “Mother Earth” is seen as a primarily caring and loving protector and humans are seen as inherently good, noble and peaceful. While Joachim’s work often focuses heavily on narrative and social criticism, it also embraces frivolity. At times his work is playful and at other moments it is somber. Much of his work is hyper-detailed but it is also often loose or intentionally “messy.” As a lifelong “full-time” artist Joachim has mastered many different mediums and styles and doesn’t feel constrained to any single one, often mixing them together. For Joachim, when it comes to making art, there are no rules.