On Aug. 16, the Triton Museum of Art debuted “Shifting Terrain,” a show featuring local artist Mark Engel. The show will run through Jan. 4, 2026.
Engel is a South Bay Area-based artist and arts educator whose work focuses heavily on portrayals of dramatic figures in animated movement with vivid color palettes. The purpose of these dramatic displays is to explore the complexity and dynamics of figures. As a figurative painter, Engel’s works are investigatory in further understanding the body, human connection, and the fluid nature of selfhood.
Engel’s upcoming exhibition, “Shifting Terrain,” will feature various-sized 2D works that explore the emotional and psychological depth of his figures. Not only are the figures important for his storytelling, but the landscape, gestures, and abstractions contribute to the comprehensive narrative of emotions in movement. Through layered compositions and collaging techniques, Engel organically molds these elements in order to explore the tension between form and dissolution. Pushing and pulling like the waves of the ocean, untethered, and full of depth, Engel’s work is a deep dive into the exploration of the self and its transformation.
A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Mark Engel holds both a BFA and MFA from San José State University. Now working as a professor at Mission College in Santa Clara, Engel contributes his artistry and expertise as an educator through teaching residencies and faculty exhibitions. As an artist, Engel’s work has been featured in publications such as “Create! Magazine,” “Artsin Square,” and “Curatory Magazine,” and has been widely exhibited in both solo and group shows. Notable exhibitions include “Shapeshifters” at Know Future Gallery, San Jose, California, “Constellations” at Vargas Gallery at Mission College in Santa Clara, California, and group shows at Baton Rouge Gallery Center for Contemporary Art, Limner Gallery in New York, and 33 Contemporary Gallery in Chicago.
The Triton Museum Art provides free parking and free admission; the museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
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