Riverside CA–
The Riverside Art Museum (RAM) announces the opening of Allusions of Modesty: New Work by Leora Lutz. The exhibition runs from May 3 to July 6, 2012.
Leora Lutz has created 5 new mixed media installations for the Riverside Art Museum’s alcove hall and glass cases in the Art Alliance gallery entryway as a direct response to the current exhibitions and in relation to her conceptual art practice.
Allusions of Modesty references the sublime and transcendental apparitions of vast landscapes, drawing toward human significance, and feelings of being a small component within a larger context. The ephemeral, intangible, and disappearing qualities of every-day life become captured in her work as a calling toward reminders of humble awareness, as the title suggests. The photos, small sculptures, and large wall-hangings leave much of the original material intact, which allows for the objects to speak in poetic narratives about the every-day. Repeated gesture, small turns, and slight changes reiterate notions of routine while leaving room for viewers to build personal connections with the reminiscent ideas found in the materials.
Stemming from the early punk rock DIY aesthetic and a life-long practice with the hand-made, her work builds a visual bridge between what are now becoming traditional ideas in art movements and pushes toward new-ness. She is dedicated to the active role that art plays in shaping social history. Themes throughout Leora Lutz’ art practice reference late 1800/early 1900’s philosophy and literature, such as Immanuel Kant and Ralph Waldo Emerson, in addition to minimalist abstraction and concrete poetry happening at that same time – Kazimir Malevich and Stephané Mallarmé in particular. Other points of departure are: transcribing music and poetry into drawings or sculpture, creating audio mash-ups, and writing about art history. Her work has been shown at numerous galleries and institutions over the course of her 18-year career as a gallerist, curator, and artist. Recent exhibitions include the Palm Springs Museum of Art, The Wattis Institute for Contemporary Art in San Francisco, Bleicher Galleries, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. She is a native Angeleno and is currently based in San Francisco at the California College of the Arts where she is pursuing a dual degree in Interdisciplinary Sculpture and Visual Criticism.
RAM relies on the generosity of members and donors to support its exhibitions, education programs, and special events. A 50-plus-year-old, private, non-profit cultural arts institution housed in a National Historic 1929 building designed by Hearst Castle architect Julia Morgan, the museum welcomes over 50,000 visitors a year. The museum is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m. For information on exhibits, events, classes, memberships, or sponsorship opportunities, visit www.RiversideArtMuseum.org. Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/riversideartmuseum) and Twitter (RAMRiverside).