August 16, 2016
The Behymer Trust is pleased to announce a comprehensive exhibition entitled “It’s Just Paint, The Art of Philip Behymer.” The exhibition, a gift from the Behymer Trust to the City of El Paso, will be open to the public, free of charge, from October 1st through October 30th. An opening reception will be held on October 1st from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the International Museum of Art, 1211 Montana Avenue, El Paso, Texas.
Philip O. Behymer (1937-2013) considered El Paso to be his adoptive home, and he developed a deep affinity and love for the city. Mr. Behymer moved his young family to El Paso in 1979. He taught art at El Paso Community College from 1980 until his retirement. A majority of the pieces in this exhibition were painted in El Paso, and the Behymer Trust is thrilled to present this moving, powerful exhibition as a gift to the city which Mr. Behymer loved.
The exhibition will be comprised of two parts: “The Artists Series,” and “A Rake’s Progress.” Both parts contain many paintings which have never before been viewed by the public.
“The Artists Series” is an impressive series of portraits which represent the apogee of Philip Behymer’s creative and artistic endeavors. In his extensive travels, Mr. Behymer met with and interviewed dozens of his favorite artists. Each of the portraits is an eloquent translation onto canvas, his personal perceptions of these artists. The result is a series of paintings which allow the viewer an intimacy with not only the subject, but Mr. Behymer as well. “The Artists Series” has a power and a presence, encapsulating the essence of the relationships Mr. Behymer developed with these individuals.
“A Rake’s Progress” is a retrospective which displays Mr. Behymer’s personal development as an artist and the refinement of a truly remarkable talent. Painted between 1968 and 1995, the selected pieces are varied and represent the growth and transitions in his life as well as his work.
One of the most exciting aspects of this exhibition is the search for the “Unknowns.” During Mr. Behymer’s time in El Paso, he painted portraits of friends, coworkers, and strangers. The names of these peoples are not known to us. It would be our great pleasure to add their names to these wonderful works of art. We invite you to visit our website to help us identify these individuals.
Additional information is available at TheBehymerTrust.org.