Murmur: William Burton Binnie and Jeff Grant

Keijsers Koning is excited to announce its inaugural exhibition Murmur with William Burton Binnie and Jeff Grant at our new location in Dallas, Texas. The two artists were first shown together in Manchester, UK and the relation between their work created a resonance that needed to be explored further.

On view are some of William Binnie’s largest paintings to date, which he started at his residency at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, Omaha, NE in 2020. The canvases, at 8-to-10-feet, allow for a full immersion into the stained and painted surfaces. This scale serves to engulf the viewer into the physical presence of the subject matter.  Binnie is known for looking into the shadow of the American projected dream, yet these works do offer a sentiment of hope and survival. Works such as American Bank are filled with dichotomies, from their soft tonalities of the raw canvas, layering of stains to their imposing brutalist lines. The looming building is sharply contrasted by the scripted invitation "Welcome to American Bank”, a friendly note before the gaze is swallowed up by its dark entrance.

Jeff Grant’s comparatively small works are playful but serious - their contrast to Binnie’s large-scale work emphasizes that dynamic in this exhibition. The colorfully framed drawings titled Effort Objects depict forms that hover between toys and tools, each with unique characteristics. With little respect for or faith in the notion of adult maturity, they ask the viewer to doubt the distinction made between the immaturity of childhood and of the adult world.  This is furthermore explored by the sculptures titled Withershins, that are strewn around the space. Withershins, a term meaning counterclockwise and contrary to natural direction, are composed from pendulous lights hovering close to the floor casting animal shadows. The shadows are cast by a circle of small toy animals precisely arranged in a counterclockwise direction.  Their precision reads as serious intent recalling various historical references yet has the feel of a moment that was created by a child’s intense imaginary play. Nothing is more serious than play itself.

The two artists’ use of space and object strikes a tone that allows for the viewer to navigate these complex human scenarios.  The essence of this resonates like a Murmur, a low and continuous frequency, that warrants a closer, protracted look.

For additional information or images please contact the gallery at 469-961-5391

or info@keijserskoning.com