Leon Benn's solo exhibition 'The Violet Hour' explores ecological themes at Center for Maine Contemporary Art

Leon Benn presents a solo survey titled 'The Violet Hour' at the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, featuring new paintings that blend chemical and alchemical processes. His works combine technical skill with art historical references and popular symbols, reflecting on nature versus culture, innocence versus experience, and childhood versus adulthood. Benn often starts by transferring drawings to linen or canvas using a Batik-like dyeing technique, preparing the substrate for further artistic exploration. The exhibition includes post-apocalyptic landscapes alongside primordial forms and wistful floral bouquets, acknowledging ongoing ecological crises while imagining a future where nature heals human-caused damage. Through adventurously colored and materially inventive compositions, Benn navigates the Anthropocene, evoking narratives where creative and destructive forces engage in a delicate dance.