Shane Guffogg was thirteen years old when his family moved to an exotic bird farm in the broad mountain valley of Strathmore, California. The year was 1975. A small town with a population of less than 3000, the area was (and still is) surrounded by citrus groves and farmland. During Guffogg's teen years, he worked in this rural idyll, caring for the birds, watching brightly hued wings fluttering in flight. In discussing his youth, he recalls being an avid reader, with strong interests in quantum physics, poetry – particularly that of T.S. Elliot, and other artists' lives; he had started drawing as soon as he could hold a pencil. The inspiring atmosphere of his environs and education motivated him to build an art studio on the farm, an effort his parents supported. Birds, brushstrokes, stanzas, beauty: this setting shaped the emerging artist's beingness. By 1980, he was awarded the Bank of America award for Art and Music, and was ready to travel Europe, a young man on a museum romp before starting junior college. In 1983, he transferred to the renowned California Institute of the Arts, or CalArts.
Shane Guffogg as a young man
During his undergraduate years, Guffogg was surrounded by a pressure cooker of countercultural imagination, sharing a campus with painters, performance artists, musicians and activists. Amidst the hubbub, he was taken under the wing of Douglas Huebler, who was the Dean of the Art School at that time. Notably, Huebler is often credited as the founder of Conceptual Art, a movement which prioritizes intention above aesthetic in art making. Undoubtedly, Huebler's belief that an artwork is more than an object, and rather a catalyst for creative contemplation --would shape Guffogg's perception of his work's potential impact.
Shane Guffogg in 1982
Ideation, being in direct parallel to practical artistic skill, is reflected throughout Guffogg's practice: in how he talks about his art, the way his work is exhibited, and in how critics and audiences interpret the work. In an interview with Bold Journey, Guffogg states that, "I like to think of my work as a bridge between the conscious and unconscious."
Dedication to dreaming is fully realized through daily practice: the artist works in his studio on his oil paintings regardless of the state of the world, his personal feelings, and so forth. This commitment pays off, with the artist's work having been exhibited internationally at premier venues, including the 2024 Venice Biennale, which many arts professionals would consider a career pinnacle. For Guffogg, it's one more exciting moment in a longer, non-linear journey of arts praxis. For decades, he has continued his daily practice of painting, maintains his central California studio, and participates in ongoing exhibitions around the world. His latest brings him to New York City's Gallery Chang, for "Swell of Light," an exhibition platform which he will share with fellow California artist – peers and friends Andy Moses and Jimi Gleason. It is not his first time collaborating with the Gallery Chang ecosystem, having exhibited previously in a solo show at the gallery's Seoul location. Guffogg performed splendidly within the Asian Art Market (including any exciting information about sales in S.K. if possible), where growth rates are more dynamic. There, younger collectors drive the acquisition of contemporary, high-end works, making it an excellent landscape for sales of Guffogg's work. Now, New Yorkers have a unique opportunity to join the bidding fray – but more importantly, they have the chance to witness the works of living masters on display.
Installation view at Gallery Chang
"I think artists, and truly creative people in general (...) are more sensitive to their environments (...) that is the role of the artist in the world; to witness and absorb all things, and let those thoughts transform into an expression that illuminates, and in some cases, transcends our daily lives." -Shane Guffog (Quote from a conversation with the artist and interdisciplinary curator Victoria Chapman, 2024). ...Guffogg's works will be on view in relationship with Gleason and Moses from May 7th through June 16, 2026. The Opening Reception will take place Thursday, May 7th, from 6 to 8 PM at Gallery Chang NY, located at 150 W 55th St, 10019, Midtown Manhattan.
Front of Gallery Chang
Written by Celestina Billington, Program Coordinator at Gallery Chang