There is a lot of superb contemporary realism being made these days; this article by Allison Malafronte shines light on a gifted individual.
Andrew Higdon (b. 1996) is an Atlanta native, but his deep-seated love of the West and Western subject matter was planted in childhood, when he would travel with his mother to Texas to attend an annual Christian convention. Seeing the Fort Worth stockyards and the cowboys made a huge visual impact on him and sparked an interest in the long tradition of art of the West. He went on to earn his M.F.A. from Pensacola Christian College, where he wrote a thesis on how such art has shaped the way we view American society today.
Various art historical, contemporary art, and pop culture influences have shaped how Higdon interprets and chooses to convey his Western subjects. “I am constantly inspired by many influences: the Taos Society, turn-of-the-20th century impressionism, 1980s nostalgia, jazz music, and dark fantasy stories, just to name a few,” he explains.
Higdon’s paintings are created in a hyperrealist, graphic-novel style but have nuances and creative departures that separate his work from the traditional lots seen at many Western art auctions and shows. He may pick an unconventional subject or vantage point — such as a cowboy shooting pool in a dimly lit bar or a close-up of an Indian warrior’s spectacular headdress — that instantly tells us the Western scene is being reimagined by a contemporary artist who loves the tradition and also wants to breathe new life into it.
In “Awake, O Sleeper,” shown above, Higdon frames the subject in a mysterious and almost humorous way. It’s a cowboy alone with his thoughts, in his own shadow created by the hat he is either tipping or removing. His downcast eyes and slight grimace could reflect either consternation or concern — or they could simply stem from the sun in his eyes. We can’t say for sure, but the title suggests a parallel to the scripture that urges the reader to awake from his slumber and rise up from the dead. The Georgia-based artist does not like to spell out the meaning of his paintings, but rather leaves room for us to interpret the intention in our own way.
“For me, painting is about communicating ideas, thoughts, and/or feelings in a way that only the artist can do,” Higdon notes. “I prefer to let the viewer build the story for himself or herself. Each piece has certain themes or elements that I start off focusing on, but ultimately I want viewers to feel those emotions from within themselves.”
This article was originally published in Fine Art Connoisseur magazine (subscribe here).
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