Brian Mashburn - Nervous System

About

Nervous System is a new series of paintings by Brian Mashburn . This show explores systems under duress: weighted down or at a tipping point, precarious and essentially nervous. Opening reception: Saturday, September 10th, 6 - 9pm. This exhibition will run from September 11th - October 2nd and will coincide with Jon Ching's Habitat , Nicole Evans' Smoke Signals and Brad Gunn's Fuzzles . Consistent with Mashburn’s previous work in terms of themes and style, these paintings feature animal subjects in more or less allegorical or metaphorical roles. The landscapes are interwoven with man-made constructions in various states and intended functions: recreational, industrial, religious, etc. The works are current observations, albeit somewhat stylized and surreal. The subjects are intended to be open to interpretation. For example, one piece depicts a monkey, eating a peach, sitting atop an elephant in mid-stride. The elephant could represent the persistence of memory (as in ‘an elephant never forgets’) in partnership with the Buddhist notion of the monkey mind or restless mind. Alternatively, the scene could be read as the proverbial monkey on the back, as in a burden one is carrying (however comfortably), coupled with a symbol of American conservatism, and so on. We are surrounded by intertwined systems—ecological, economic, political, social, etc.—in states of perpetual insecurity and are continuously reminded of this. The nervous system is an active one and maybe best viewed as what it is: involuntary, i.e., autonomic. In any case, Mashburn’s goal is to create paintings of rich, dynamic worlds that reflect the moods and points of view of ever-evolving times. Brian Mashburn is an American artist based in the mountains of North Carolina in the United States, in the city of Asheville. He studied painting and drawing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received a bachelor of fine arts degree in 2002. Mashburn’s work juxtaposes urban and industrial landsc