FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mary Goldman Gallery is pleased to announce Two Tears in a Bucket: Considering The Alcubierre Metric, an exhibition of new work by Robert Pruitt, on view from March 15, 2008 through April 19, 2008.  An opening reception for the artist will be held on Saturday, March 15 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

The Alcubierre Metric is a mathematical term for hypothetical space travel that would be faster than speed of light, a concept popularized as “warp drive” on Star Trek.  In his childhood, Pruitt’s interest in science fiction and comic books led him to the frightening conclusion that there were no black people in the future other than the few portrayed as evil or criminal.  Over time Pruitt’s frustration intensified as he witnessed the ongoing subversion of images and information pertaining to African American political, social, and cultural resistance.

While inequalities and injustices that provoked the civil rights and black liberation movements are still rampant, their contemporary representation is frequently overshadowed by a false sense of inclusion.  Pruitt’s hope is to inspire reflection not with cartoon dichotomies nor with anesthetized contemporary visual discourse, but with a reinvigorated imagery that pushes both the past and present forward.  By accelerating the dialogue, he seeks to generate alternative responses to a discourse that has deflated.  In crafting large-scale portraits and sculptures, Pruitt combines visual styles from recent history and the present, creating bold images that demand the processing of eras.  While the artworks are graphically strong and deftly rendered, it is this sensitivity to the folds of history that gives these figures their remarkable authority.

Robert Pruitt is a Houston based artist and member of the art and social collective Otabenga Jones & Associates. Exhibitions include the 2006 Whitney Biennial, New York; The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York; The Contemporary Art Museum, Houston; Artpace, San Antonio, and Clementine Gallery, New York. Pruitt is a recent recipient of the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation grant. This is the artist’s first solo show with the gallery.

Mary Goldman Gallery is located at 932 Chung King Road in the Chinatown district of Los Angeles.  Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm or by appointment.  For further information, please contact the gallery at 213 617 8217 or at info@marygoldman.com.