West (of Eden) – An Art Exhibition

On view through Jan. 25, 2025

Explore the rugged spirit of the West through the lens of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden in M. Walker Nelson’s captivating new exhibition. West (of Eden) delves into themes of self-acceptance, time, and the clash between past and present. Each painting tells a story of resilience, capturing the tension between human imperfection and the ever-changing world around us.

West is not just a place, but a thing.

The West has a temperament and spirit all its own. One can get on board, or one will be driven out. It may even just kill you. The West also has its own source of gravity. Once past the Mississippi, you may never come back. There’s a sense of toughness, pride, and independence.

West(of Eden) implies that someplace could be better than the West with all its harshness.

Maybe, just maybe.

The title comes from a John Steinbeck novel titled “East of Eden”, which describes a family that lived on the same land in California for generations. A pious father tries to guide his two sons only to force their separation, which is not unfamiliar to Cain and Abel. This show is a tribute to John Steinbeck.

The artist, M. Walker Nelson, felt trapped in the West and that her life would begin once she could leave for the big shiny city. However, this is not a show on nostalgia. Look past the idea that this is simply a technically articulated record of the past as a backdrop. This show is for everyone who has lived on the outskirts or feels unseen in a flyover state. And, from reading Steinbeck, Nelson learned some essential lessons about life that she shares in her work:

First, one cannot outrun oneself. Second, there is nothing wrong with a humble life. Third, sometimes it is the mistakes or character flaws that make a story worth reading.

The artist struggled to be perfect and make something out of her life. She would only find freedom painting, reading, or out on the open road.

“When I couldn’t drive, I would draw and read,” Nelson said “This is how I found Steinbeck. The landmarks that guided me home pre- and post-GPS echoed the stories I read. It was not that I was nostalgic for another time, it was more that I felt alone, and I thought the old signs and silos did too. They once had great promise and a lot invested in their construction. What dreams did they once feel?”

“Reading Steinbeck gave me hope that I should just keep pressing on. We are one part destiny and one part tenacity. It all depends on which I choose,” she said. “I choose to keep putting one foot in front of the other. These are the icons I circled as I waited. This show explores self-acceptance and a reckoning with time.”

Another component of Nelson’s work is the passage of time. “Few on Earth have experienced change at such a rapid pace,” she said. “The last 150 years are radical compared to centuries that would pass without a fundamental change in how people work, have relationships, eat, travel, and shelter.”

Nelson strongly feels that if she creates art void of this occurrence, she does no one any good and is squandering her calling. She explained, “We get this tiny slice of time, and we have to relay it accurately. We get only so many laps around the sun, and I’ve burned through half already. We are all somewhere in the analog/digital battle.”

The visual effects in this series of paintings represent that all people are past and present. How exactly does one visually represent past and present/digital and analog? Nelson chose to show how our memories are like old tapes being played in our minds. In a second, we can time travel. But memories are only sometimes clear and sometimes the reception could be better. Some memories are paused or on a loop. Other times it is like a glitch or flash.

Nelson dares to investigate how technology does not make us less human but amplifies our humanity.

The series is a picture book torn from the artist’s journals. Each piece is a like a chapter of that book relating to the idea of what it is to live West of Eden. Each piece references Steinbeck’s writings and how it parallels Nelson’s life.