Time 4 Influence Continued

Concord University’s Assistant Professor of Art, Kevin Bennington, is having his art work featured in a solo exhibit at the Chuck Mathena Center in Princeton, WV.  His exhibit is called “Time 4 Influence Continued.”  The exhibit will run until September 18.  

Bennington’s artwork that is featured in the exhibit reminds viewers how important it is to take care of the environment.  When asked about his upcoming exhibit, he said “these artworks stem from my passion in the field of graphic design and my love for many of the native rivers and lakes in Southern West Virginia. Over the last 12 years I have compiled a collection of over 8000 nature based photos. Some of the places photographed were Key Damn, Harmony Acres Lake, Jimmy Lewis Lake, Sutton Lake, Bull Falls, Cranberry Glades, Greenbrier River, New River, Bluestone River, Camp Creek and Brush Creek. As an artist these photos are my inspiration to create these scenes displayed. From memories and past dreams I used my photo database to construct these one of a kind nature based scenes.”

In part of his artist’s statement, he talks about the method behind how he decided to present his artwork, saying, “over the last five years my work has been focused on informing viewers of how important pollution awareness is to our environment and in many cases I try to draw attention to both extremes of beauty and pollution. In my later work I show the pristine environments and polluted environments as interactive artworks. Viewers can rotate or open the panels on each artwork to reveal the clean and polluted environments. I used this method to hold the idea of a window blinds or curtains. I ask viewers what do they do when they do not want to see something outside?  Many of them reply close the window shade or window blind.”

Bennington’s artwork seems to be a reflection of his interests and his roots.  In his Concord University biography he states that he is a native of the West Virginia mountains and has a strong connection to his environment where he enjoys fishing, hiking, and other outdoor activities. 

He says, “as a graphic designer, artist, and professor, I feel that I have a deep-seated responsibility to pronounce good morals and practices.  I am an advocate for promoting clean water practices and trash removal from many of our local streams and rivers.”  

Bennington also has a published thesis: “Time for Influence: An Exhibition of Communication and Influence through Awareness-Based Design Mediums.”  It delves deeper into what is presented through his artwork and explores new and atypical mediums of communication that help influence anti-littering practices.