May 5 - 5, 2025
From Davis Gallery:
“TUMBLE: A Western Benediction, an exhibition of new works by local artist B Shawn Cox, celebrates the in-between moment after one is bucked off or thrown from a horse but before the reality of hitting the ground hard. In reverence to this Western Benediction, Cox honors where one mindfully views the past transitioning into the future.
Born in Lubbock and raised near Monahans, Shawn spent his childhood ranching and managing livestock. A key influence came from a stubborn Shetland pony, a gift from his grandfather. His father used the pony to teach Cox and his brother how to break horses. Despite long hours of riding in the West Texas heat, the pony, named Saphead, consistently bucked them off as soon as it neared home, no matter how hard they tried. This experience embodies the struggle between intention and uncontrollable outcomes.
Opening May 10th, TUMBLE invites viewers to experience how each work encapsulates the liminal space between past and present, visually suspended, drawing inspiration from the slowed perception of being thrown from a horse before impact. This concept investigates the tension between what has been and what will be as we navigate life’s changes. The artist considers how our lives are shaped by past actions, contrasting this with our capacity for change in the present, acknowledging the impossibility of altering the past or predicting the future. This exhibition is a celebration of the human experience, urging us to embrace the unknown and find beauty in the transitions that define us.”
Artist talk: May 5, 2025
B Shawn Cox: TUMBLE: A Western Benediction
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