Joe Hedges: Interfaces
Show Dates: February 20 – March 19, 2026
Artist Talk: March 19, noon
Format: In the gallery
Interfaces brings together new paintings and multimedia assemblages that sit at the intersection of classical technique and contemporary life. The title of the exhibition references a new body of work consisting of tightly composed 22" × 22" oil paintings on panel in which human faces are literally obscured by familiar consumer objects such as vintage radios, answering machines, and a blood pressure monitor. Alongside the paintings, the exhibition features an interactive "smart oven" installation and several mixed-media assemblages that extend the exhibition's central inquiry: how do the devices we live with reshape the way we see — and see ourselves?
Accuracy You Can Trust, 2023, oil on panel with blood pressure monitor, 22 inches by 22 inches.
Joe Hedges is a multimedia artist exploring the complex interplay between humanity and technology through the lens of painting. By juxtaposing traditional oil painting alongside modern audiovisual components, interactive elements, and mixed media assemblages, Hedges creates symbolic works that poetically examine technology's paradoxical roles as both a radical connector and alienating force in our lives. Central to Hedges' practice is a fascination with the ways digital systems, interfaces, and virtual realms mediate and condition our perception and lived experiences. Hedges lives and works in Pullman, WA where he is Associate Director of Washington State University's David G. Pollart Center for Arts & Humanities while coordinating the painting area within the Department of Art.
Helen S. Smith Gallery
The Helen S. Smith Gallery on Green River College's main campus was named in honor of the college Foundation's first President. In addition to being one of the college's founding members, she was known as a strong advocate for the arts in the community.
The gallery is located at the main entrance of the Holman Library, on the Green River College's main campus. It hosts a number of shows each year, featuring the work of students and Northwest artists.
The gallery is currently accepting exhibition proposals.