Mark Maggiori, who was born and raised in France, became enamored with the American West after a cross-country trip as a teenager. Americans often refer to this large collection of Western states, combined with elements of the past, as the “Old West” or the “Wild West.” To Maggiori and the rest of Europe, though, it is called the “Far West.”
“That’s just what it’s called in France and in other places in Europe. When I went on the trip as a teenager, I went to the Far West. Later when I got tattoos on my arms, I got ‘Far West,’” Maggiori says. “It doesn’t mean anything different. It’s just what we called it. So, when an opportunity came to put together a group show in New York City, the name I had to call it was Far West.”
Mark Maggiori, Shine Through, oil on linen, 45 x 45 in.Maggiori is putting on the show with his wife, artist Petecia Le Fawnhawk, and it’s a sequel to a similar show they put on in 2016 in Los Angeles. For this one, which is being held September 9 and 10, the couple have switched coasts, opting for New York City, where it will take over Arcadia Contemporary in SoHo.
“When we put on the first one, we didn’t care it was a one-off event. We just wanted to show some exciting art from our artist friends,” Le Fawnhawk says. “As this one started to come together, we wanted to do the same thing, but on a larger level. It will feature traditional painters, but also illustrators, photographers and other artists who are creating exciting work. The artists are our peers, but also people who are talented and creating art from fresh perspectives.”
Teal Blake, After Midnight, watercolor, 30 x 20 in.Artists in the show are Timothy McOmber, Kevin Chupik, Glenn Dean, Jeremy Lipking, Cyrus Walker, Sean Cheetham, Howard Post, Brian Bowen Smith, John Isaiah Pepion, Chloé Marie Burke, Jon Flaming, Sissòn, Sean Michael Chavez, Teal Blake, Tyana Arviso, David Kassan and Steven Perlin. For Maggiori and Le Fawnhawk, the beauty of this list is that it has star power from several genres. Western collectors will recognize the works of Blake, Post, Dean and Chavez, but may be less familiar with the others. Collectors of more contemporary works certainly know names like Lipking, Kassan and Cheetham, but the West might be foreign to them. “This show will unite everyone together,” Maggiori says. “It’s also bringing cowboy art into New York City. When I sell my prints, I see the addresses that are ordering those pieces. So I know there are people in New York and on the East Coast who are interested in Western art. We’re going to bring it right to them. And these are exciting new and young collectors. These are not people who see Western art and think of art from grandma’s attic. They have a new vibe and they appreciate the West and what it represents.”
Sean Cheetham, There in the Ground, My Buried Heart and All of Our Vows, oil on panel, 40 x 10 in. (each)Le Fawnhawk, who will have at least two art pieces in the show, says the group exhibition is meant to bring together all kinds of artists, art enthusiasts and collectors. “We want to create a bridge in the art world. This new generation of Western art fans, especially Mark’s audience, they are new collectors, they are the younger audience and they are excited about what they are seeing,” she says. “And Mark also likes to do things that are a little disruptive, so we’re going to be giving a very large percentage of the art sales to the artists. In other scenarios, the bulk of a sale will go back to the gallery. For this we wanted to send it right back to the artists.”
Jon Flaming, Lone Rider, etched acrylic on canvas, 48 x 60 in.
Cyrus Walker, Oil Change, oil and acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 in.
The New York City setting is vital for what the couple is trying to accomplish. It’s the largest and most important art market in the country, with hundreds of galleries (none devoted purely to Western art), countless world-class museums and major showrooms for Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Bonhams and other major auction houses. And outside of two Logan Maxwell Hagege solo shows in recent years, the city has not been a haven for Western artists. Far West hopes to change that.
Timothy McOmber, You Gotta Move, mixed media on canvas, 36 x 45 in.
Brian Bowen Smith, Miley, digital print on photo rag paper, 40 x 60 in.
Glenn Dean, who has known Maggiori since the very early days of his American art career, is especially excited about the setting of the show. “New York is important. Western art can be seen by some as a regional sort of genre, one that only reaches so far east, so to have a show with all these great artists in New York City is important,” the California-based painter says, adding that he will be be visiting NYC for the first time when he attends the September show. “For me, it’s all new territory. And a new opportunity to see a different part of the art world.”
Dean is not surprised by Maggiori’s lofty ambitions for the show, and says it reflects the kind of artist he is. “Mark is very thoughtful. He’s never been one to hoard his success, which is why these ideas he gets are so fun. He’s always coming up with fresh ways of connecting with people and other artists,” he says. “This show is a byproduct of that excitement he has for art. He has all this energy on him, and he wants to share it with others.”
Kevin Chupik, Casa Luna, acrylic on birch panel, 37 x 65 in
The show itself will have around 40 works, all of which will be sold on the opening night, September 9, which will be largely devoted to collectors who have an interest in purchasing original art. A second night, September 10, will be geared more for the general public, and will feature the release of a handful of high-quality reproductions from numerous artists. Tickets for opening night sold out in seven minutes, but collectors are urged to follow Maggiori’s Instagram and his website to learn about absentee bidding. All of the works will be sold by a fixed-price box draw, except for Maggiori’s painting Shine Through, which will be sold in a live auction. In addition to the art show, there will also be music from the Secody Brothers and Hermanos Gutiérrez.
Glenn Dean, Shooting the Breeze, oil, 10 x 8 in.
Maggiori’s last show, held in March at Legacy Gallery, was attended by hundreds of people, including countless guests who waited in a line to snap a selfie with the painter. Fans jammed Legacy phone lines for weeks leading up to the show. On opening night there was a line down the street to get inside the doors. It was, by Western art standards, a stampede. Based on early ticket sales and online interest, the new show is expected to once again blow the doors off of Western art in a very exciting way.
Howard Post, Adding to the Remuda, oil on canvas board, 24 x 36 in.
Sean Michael Chavez, ¡Tiroteo!, oil on canvas, 36 x 24 in.
“It’s a big test for us, but we’re coming at it with a lot of love,” Maggiori says. “We’re basically self-funding the whole show, and then giving nearly all the proceeds back to the artists. There’s a lot of money in it, but we knew it was an important show that Petecia and I believed in. It’s going to be good for Western art and a chance for people to see Western art in a new place. Let’s do it!” —
Far West
September 9-10, 2024
Arcadia Contemporary
421 W. Broadway, New York, NY 10012
www.markmaggiori.com
Instagram: markmaggiori
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