Clare Rojas "Pith" at Prism, Los Angeles, California

 

Clare Rojas
Pith

October 19, 2012 — November 3, 2012
Prism
8746 W. Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069
T 310 289 1301
F 310 289 1302
Tuesday – Saturday: 11-6

Entitled 'Pith,' this body of paintings signals a further exploration for Rojas, in respect to both subject and materiality. In this exhibition, we observe the artist’s concentration on abstract space and the blurring between architectural dimensionality and geometric flatness. Rojas intentionally generates surfaces that describe both an architectural and psychological site of interiority ― a pictorial space that is indeterminate enough to operate on an emotive and sensory level.

The removal of the figure from this recent body of work is a purposed decision, as the artist elects to concentrate on the atmospheric possibilities of painting. These works are ambient, spatially open and emotionally drenched ― re-directed away from a character-driven narrative, Rojas proposes a psycho-spatial realm. Whereas once her paintings were played out with actors and props, these paintings appear like the sets where the dramatic sequences might occur.

Electing to use oils over acrylic, which she had preferenced for years, Rojas has necessarily altered her strategy towards the interaction of colour and light, while building more saturated surfaces. Rojas’ strong and familiar palette, which tends towards saturated yellows, reds and greys, is dominant in the exhibition, while she also invites their interaction with gentler tonal registers.

Rojas (1976) was born in Columbus, Ohio and lives and works in San Francisco. She has held solo exhibitions at Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, León, Spain; Museum Het Domein, Sittard, Netherlands; San Francisco Art Institute and Riverside Art Museum, California; The Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia; Knoxville Museum of Art, Tennessee; Modern Art, London; Deitch Projects, New York; and Kavi Gupta, Chicago.

An opening reception for Pith will be held at PRISM from 6 - 8pm on Friday 19 October, 2012. The exhibition will be accompanied by a catalogue, available from the gallery.