Modern West is pleased to loan works by Modern West director, curator and artist Shalee Cooper for the Granary Arts exhibition Shalee Cooper / In Variation.

In Variation explores the boundary between minimalism and conceptual abstraction, creating a
refined dialogue between painting, materiality, photographic collage, and space. Cooper’s large-scale compositions are defined by a restrained palette of natural linen, black, white, and tan—an homage to materiality and subtle tonal variation. The muted color scheme underscores the raw, unmediated essence of her materials, emphasizing the tactile quality of the canvas itself as an integral element of the visual experience. In this way, her works resonate with the minimalist tenet of “truth to materials,” inviting viewers to confront not only the image but the physical surface on which it unfolds.

A defining characteristic of Cooper’s practice is her rejection of fixed orientations. Her canvases can be displayed in multiple ways, disrupting traditional hierarchies of top and bottom, left and right. Some works are designed to be rearranged, enabling endless iterations and interpretations, where form continuously unfolds in dialogue with its environment. This fluidity transforms each installation into a dynamic exploration of balance and perception, reinforcing the impermanence and evolving nature of the paintings, while inviting viewers to experience the work as a living process and collaborative visual experience.

Learn more about Shalee Cooper by visiting her artist page, and please join us for the opening reception at Granary Arts Friday, February 21 from 6-8 PM.