Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
American, b. 1953
The twelve paintings in the exhibition are imaginary film stills based on on a Science Fiction screenplay, titled Regression, that was supposedly developed in the 1950s. The film was never made and, to Hempel’s knowledge, none of the script survived.
As Hempel tells the story, a crew of astronauts travel to an exoplanet with a tropical Earth-like atmosphere and immediately get separated from each other when they set out to explore. Isolated, they start to rapidly grow younger. Wading in the water seems to slow the regression process. It is later revealed that the planet is a sentient life form that is purposefully regressing them as it can only communicate with minds that are free of dishonesty and aggression. By returning the astronauts to innocence, the planet hopes to establish contact. Constructed from memory, these paintings are Hempel’s musings on what the film might have looked like. There is a playfulness and and absurdity to the paintings. A spaceship hangs over the Hollywood sign next to two dramatically singular palm trees. The figures pose like 1950s film stars in the water while ships loom over their heads and steep cliffs rise behind them. Painted at an intimate scale ranging from 16x16 inches to 20x30 inches, the paintings draw on Hempel’s well-known practice of commenting on assumed narratives of masculinity in art and popular culture and the lack of representation of gay men.
The figures are shirtless and seemingly unaware of the viewer but on a mission. Expressions of concern cross some of their faces while others are lost in thought - a surreal battalion of statuesque young men. Hempel is turning the pop culture trope of half dressed beautiful women on its head and depicting beautiful men in these paintings. With the lost film script as the framework, Hempel uses his immense technical skill to deftly recontextualize the male figure.
Wes Hempel’s paintings forge a provocative dialogue between past and present - asking us to consider the ways in which the dominant narratives depicted in art and pop culture have presented a single viewpoint and lacked significantly in representation.
Wes Hempel was born in El Monte, CA, in 1953. He received his BA from Cal State Northridge in 1985 and his MA from UC Boulder in 1988. He has exhibited extensively throughout the US since 1987 and his paintings are included in numerous private and public collections including the Denver Art Museum, Microsoft Art Collection, and the New Britain Museum of American Art (CT), among others. He lives and work in Colorado.to
1
4
7
3
1
3
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
18
8
1
8
7
3
17
15
12
12
6
6
5
4
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
17
17
17
17
1
36
468
318
256
224
18
Artist: Wes Hempel
Untitled Film Still (Pink Blossoms)
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
The twelve paintings in the exhibition are imaginary film stills based on on a Science Fiction screenplay, titled Regression, that was supposedly developed in the 1950s. The film wa...
Category
2010s Contemporary Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Untitled Film Still (Green Lagoon)
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
The twelve paintings in the exhibition are imaginary film stills based on on a Science Fiction screenplay, titled Regression, that was supposedly developed in the 1950s. The film wa...
Category
2010s Contemporary Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Private Island, Mid Day Swim
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
A walk through any major museum will reveal paintings that depict or legitimate only certain kinds of experience. Despite the good intentions of critical theorists questioning the va...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Calling (study), not framed
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
A walk through any major museum will reveal paintings that depict or legitimate only certain kinds of experience. Despite the good intentions of critical theorists questioning the va...
Category
2010s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Calling and Unexpected Blessing II - 2 paintings by Wes Hempel
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
Two paintings by Wes Hempel, Calling, 44x32" and Unexpected Blessing II, 48x32"
Category
2010s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$20,311 Sale Price
20% Off
Untitled Film Still (Twin Pillars)
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
The twelve paintings in the exhibition are imaginary film stills based on on a Science Fiction screenplay, titled Regression, that was supposedly developed in the 1950s. The film wa...
Category
2010s Contemporary Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
First Team
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
The twelve paintings in the exhibition are imaginary film stills based on on a Science Fiction screenplay, titled Regression, that was supposedly developed in the 1950s. The film wa...
Category
2010s Contemporary Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Untitled Film Still (Storm Lagoon)
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
The twelve paintings in the exhibition are imaginary film stills based on on a Science Fiction screenplay, titled Regression, that was supposedly developed in the 1950s. The film wa...
Category
2010s Contemporary Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Untitled Film Still (Spheres)
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
The twelve paintings in the exhibition are imaginary film stills based on on a Science Fiction screenplay, titled Regression, that was supposedly developed in the 1950s. The film wa...
Category
2010s Contemporary Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
PRIVATE ISLAND SERIES, “Passing Storm"
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
A walk through any major museum will reveal paintings that depict or legitimate only certain kinds of experience. Despite the good intentions of critical theorists questioning the va...
Category
2010s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Power Outage
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
A walk through any major museum will reveal paintings that depict or legitimate only certain kinds of experience. Despite the good intentions of critical theorists questioning the va...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Impressionist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$24,000
Untitled Film Still (Open Shirt)
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
The twelve paintings in the exhibition are imaginary film stills based on on a Science Fiction screenplay, titled Regression, that was supposedly developed in the 1950s. The film wa...
Category
2010s Contemporary Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Untitled Film Still (Anemone Trees)
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
The twelve paintings in the exhibition are imaginary film stills based on on a Science Fiction screenplay, titled Regression, that was supposedly developed in the 1950s. The film wa...
Category
2010s Contemporary Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Calling, not framed
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
A walk through any major museum will reveal paintings that depict or legitimate only certain kinds of experience. Despite the good intentions of critical theorists questioning the va...
Category
2010s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Tree Tattoo, not framed
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
A walk through any major museum will reveal paintings that depict or legitimate only certain kinds of experience. Despite the good intentions of critical theorists questioning the va...
Category
2010s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Statue and the Plane, not framed
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
A walk through any major museum will reveal paintings that depict or legitimate only certain kinds of experience. Despite the good intentions of critical theorists questioning the va...
Category
2010s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Page 207 (Van Dyck Series)
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
Represented by George Billis Gallery, NYC & LA -- For decades, Wes Hempel has been committed to re-envisioning the depiction of masculinity in contemporary art. By setting psychologically acute portraits of modern-day men against backdrops appropriated from such disparate sources as neoclassical history...
Category
2010s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Paper, Mixed Media
Catch (study), not framed
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
A walk through any major museum will reveal paintings that depict or legitimate only certain kinds of experience. Despite the good intentions of critical theorists questioning the va...
Category
2010s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Related Items
No one but the bees
Located in Zofingen, AG
Bright flowers, juicy fruits and of course the helpers of our garden: hardworking bees. They also love the juice of ripe pears. Being behind a canvas woven from my thoughts and emoti...
Category
2010s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Signal distortion #2 Hélène Duclos 21st Century painting landscape cream art
By Hélène Duclos
Located in Paris, FR
This painting is part of the current exhibition entitled "The fantastic story of the liquid mountain" at Claire Corcia Gallery in Paris.
The liquid mountain is populated by living b...
Category
2010s Contemporary Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$4,667
H 28.75 in W 36.23 in D 1.97 in
"Old Shoemaker" Ashcan 20th Century Modernism 1924 California WPA Realism Worker
By Otis Oldfield
Located in New York, NY
"Old Shoemaker" Ashcan 20th Century Modernism 1924 California WPA Realism Worker. Signed “Otis Oldfield” lower left. 14 x 12 inches.
Exhibited: Galerie des Beaux Arts, San Francisco, CA, 1925
Provenance: Estate of the Artist
Born in Sacramento, CA on July 3, 1890, Otis Oldfield left high school at age 16 to work in a local print shop. In 1909 he arrived in San Francisco and enrolled at the Best Art School. After working for two years as a bellhop at the Argonaut Hotel and as a hat check boy at the Cliff House, he had saved enough money for further studies in Paris. In 1911 he sailed for France and enrolled at Académie Julian. Caught up in the activities of wartime Paris, he was an apprentice for a book...
Category
1920s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Portrait of a Lady, Oil on Canvas, 1840
s, In Style of Jacob Eichholtz
Located in Doylestown, PA
This interior portrait of a woman dressed in an elegant lace shawl is a 30" x 25" oil on canvas painting in the style of Jacob Eichholtz. The artist is unknown but the painting is believed to have been painted in the 1840's. It is not signed but framed and in good condition. Provenance: Private Collection, Old Queens Gallery...
Category
Mid-19th Century American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$750
H 34 in W 28 in D 2 in
"Snowy City Scene" American Scene Social Realism WPA Era Mid-20th Century Modern
Located in New York, NY
"Snowy City Scene" American Scene Social Realism WPA Era Mid-20th Century Modern
Syd J. Browne (1907-1991)
"Snowy City Scene"
22 x 30 inches
Oil on canvas. c. 1930s
Signed lower lef...
Category
1930s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
"Pelham Bay" WPA American Scene Social Realism Modern NYC Subway Transportation
Located in New York, NY
"Pelham Bay" WPA American Scene Social Realism Modern NYC Subway Transportation
Daniel Ralph Celantano (1902-1980)
"Pelham Bay"
12 1/4 x 16 inches
Oil on canvas
Signed lower cente...
Category
1930s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Street of the Old Quarter British School signed Cade oil on canvas painting
Located in Sitges, Barcelona
**Technical Sheet**
**Title:** "Street of the Old Quarter"
**Author:** British School, 19th Century
**Date:** 1892
**Technique:** Oil on canvas
**Dimensions:** 14.17 x 10.63 inc...
Category
1890s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$598 Sale Price
58% Off
H 14.18 in W 10.63 in
Puddle Jumper. Woman With Umbrella Original Oil American Rainy Scene Painting.
Located in Marco Island, FL
An ordinary scene of a woman walking down a sidewalk in the rain is elevated to a little gem of a painting. American life is captured in this Clyde Singer painting, Puddle Jumper (...
Category
Late 20th Century American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$3,500
H 15.5 in W 13.5 in
From the life of birds
Located in Zofingen, AG
What is the basis for the exclusivity of this landscape? Firstly, the patterns!They can be used in textiles, ceramics, jewelry. Secondly, the color! A very interesting combination. V...
Category
2010s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Oil, Canvas
"High School Dance" WPA Mid-20th Century Modern American Scene Social Realism
Located in New York, NY
"High School Dance" WPA Mid-20th Century Modern American Scene Social Realism
Heusing (20th Century)
"High School Dance"
27 x 32 inches
Oil on canvas
Signed and dated '47 Lower Righ...
Category
1940s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
London Round House-Mid-Century Industrial American Scene Oil Painting
By Jack Steele
Located in Marco Island, FL
A mid-century American Realist scene of children playing on the railroad entitled, London Round House. The chaotic scene of children rambunctiously playing is suspected to be set in...
Category
1940s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$14,000
H 52 in W 43 in D 3 in
By the sea Hélène Duclos Contemporary art painting blue landscape sky
By Hélène Duclos
Located in Paris, FR
Oil paint on canvas
Unique work
Hand-signed by the artist
The red necklace of the naked Queens
“My artistic research has expanded over the years, crossing paths already traveled a...
Category
2010s Contemporary Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
$5,864
H 45.67 in W 35.04 in
Previously Available Items
PRIVATE ISLAND SERIES, “New Friend"
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
A walk through any major museum will reveal paintings that depict or legitimate only certain kinds of experience. Despite the good intentions of critical theorists questioning the va...
Category
2010s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Meridian, not framed
By Wes Hempel
Located in Fairfield, CT
A walk through any major museum will reveal paintings that depict or legitimate only certain kinds of experience. Despite the good intentions of critical theorists questioning the va...
Category
2010s American Realist Wes Hempel Figurative Paintings
Materials
Canvas, Oil
Wes Hempel figurative paintings for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Wes Hempel figurative paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Wes Hempel in canvas, fabric, oil paint and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 21st century and contemporary and is mostly associated with the Impressionist style. Not every interior allows for large Wes Hempel figurative paintings, so small editions measuring 10 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Zoe Hawk, Alex Roulette, and Rachel Personett. Wes Hempel figurative paintings prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $2,800 and tops out at $25,389, while the average work can sell for $8,900.