Wes Magyar

Wes Magyar's work centers on the figure, particularly the face, which he explores as an endlessly rich subject for both formal and conceptual investigation. His paintings engage with personal and social issues, from family to politics.

In recent years, his practice has focused on the myth of the individual and our contradictory dependence on one another, both personally and at a broader level. As technology becomes increasingly integrated into daily life, the boundaries between individuals, communities, and cultures grow less distinct. While the individual becomes more global in scope, the consequences of our actions expand correspondingly. His paintings work to critique the persistent ideal that individuals can be self-made and self-sustaining, an idea that gains hold even as that facade begins to crack.