Time Machines by Shannon Rogers
Shannon Rogers - Night castle
Oil on canvas. 60 x 84 inches. 2024.
Time Machines
a solo exhibition by
Shannon Rogers
Opening Reception
Saturday, November 2nd at 6pm
pt.2
1525 Webster St.
Oakland, CA 94612
To receive a preview contact
info@part2gallery.com
pt.2 Gallery is thrilled to present Time Machines, the latest body of work by Shannon Rogers in his first solo exhibition with the gallery. Rogers continues his deep exploration of geometric abstraction, creating paintings that invite the viewer to engage in a complex and dynamic dialogue. Through the interplay of color, form, and space, Rogers’ paintings operate as chromatic enigmas—worlds within themselves that shift and evolve in response to the questions and perceptions brought by the viewer.
A central theme in Rogers' work is the investigation of time—how it moves, shifts, and changes within the confines of a painting. While capturing time within a static image is an impossible task, it is this very impossibility that drives the evolution of Rogers’ practice. Each painting, through its layers of color and form, can be seen to generate time, with the composition continually revealing new dimensions as the viewer engages with it. Time becomes fluid, spontaneous, and ever-changing within the work, reinforcing the viewer's shifting perception and understanding.
Rogers' process is rooted in his ongoing investigation of painting as a phenomenon, pushing the limits of the medium while challenging traditional approaches to space and perception. His paintings build upon the legacy of Modernist abstraction, while simultaneously drawing inspiration from Renaissance clarity, Baroque density, and the temporal investigations of the Cubists. The paintings in Time Machines reject literal subject matter, instead focusing on the idea of painting as an object—a world generated by the will and vision of the conscious viewer.
Shannon Rogers - gate
Oil on canvas. 48 x 60 inches. 2024.
This exhibition reflects an ongoing evolution in Rogers’ practice, shifting from the rigid lines and structured forms of earlier works to a newfound embrace of fluidity and light. Lines are no longer explicitly drawn but implied, allowing the compositions to breathe and move freely. His process is a constant conversation with the paintings, where each mark activates the space, and the work gradually reveals itself. With up to 18 colors in a single piece, Rogers intuitively selects his palette, each color and shape contributing to a unique chromatic identity, with stories embedded in every decision.
The paintings in Time Machines embrace uncertainty, complexity, and the elusive nature of consciousness, unfolding like windows into deep, vibrant spaces. More than just an exploration of form and color, this exhibition becomes a philosophical inquiry into the essence of painting itself—its ability to generate time, manifest space, and reflect the mysterious and dynamic complexity of the conscious mind.
Shannon Rogers (b. 1984, Little Rock, AR) is an Oakland-based painter and sculptor. He holds an MFA from the New York Studio School and a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Rogers’ work has been featured in solo exhibitions, including Superpositions at Book and Job Gallery (2023) and Lexicon at Hang Art (2019) in San Francisco.