“Ryan Roa: Filters”
Arte Institute suggests “Ryan Roa: Filters” at Rooster Gallery.
Exhibiting from March 26 – April 26
Opening Reception: Thursday, March 26, 6 PM
Rooster Gallery
190 Orchard Street, Lower East Side, NYC
www.roostergallery.com
Rooster Gallery is pleased to present Ryan Roa’s Filters, an exhibition where the artist explores the notion of layering, what is between and beyond the lines, the visual and the physical connection between those lines and the viewer.
Roa sets up boundary systems, by implementing arbitrary systems of logic and reasoning that utilize materials, space and a scale of measurement, based on a governing body.
Once a system is in place Roa either works inside their limits or challenges them, this is determined by the systems application and unravels during the process. The objective is to detach and allow motion / gesture to become repetitive and thoughtless, an almost honest exasperation of an emotionally void act. To step into a trance and become a force set in motion. The system dictates the process, the process dictates the outcome, resulting in permutations. A series is finished when the outcome can be predetermined and surprise has been eliminated.
While using materials that are easily accessible and cost effective the artist has the assurance that he will be able to find what he needs in most of the places he travels to, not having to be concerned with things working out as planned as “mistakes” can easily be kept, changed or discarded. Time thus becomes the only real currency.
Filters and the Works in it are a result of these arbitrary systems being set in motion:
“Space Drawings” – frame space with lines consructed, based on a geometric mapping system. The tension created between the material, space, and maker remains as energy stored.
“Pencil drawings”(Shapes) – draw shape are in a 1″ x 1″ area, centered on a piece of paper, using a horizontal motion. The arms range of motion conforms to the shapes parameters. Shape is built up using one pencil and are complete when the pencil has been worn away.
“Expanded Steel Knot” – tangle and bolt , 1’ x 10’ strips of expanded steel together to create a Mobius Strip. This can be expanded or reduced depending on the amount of material used.
“Line Drawing” (Four Points) – Plot four corner points in a 1” x 1”grid (points are picked arbitrarily). Place points centered every quater of an inch between the corner points. Connect the corner points to points moving CCW.
“Mass Drawing”(Pi series) – plot a center point on 9” x 12” piece of paper. Divide a side and top of the paper into 3 sections each, the top has three 3” sections, the side has three 4” section. Draw 8” lines next to each other until a section is completed. Move onto next section and separate sheet of paper. Continue until all sections have been completed.
Ryan Roa’s (b. 1974 Englewood, NJ) work spans sculpture, drawing, installation, video and performance. He received his MFA from Hunter College, NY. Roa’s work has had solo exhibitions at the Jersey City Museum, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Trinity Museum and Ramapo College. His work has been exhibited in groups shows at The Bronx Museum of Art, Queens Museum of Art, Moscow Museum of Modern Art, El Museo del Barrio NY, School of Visual Arts Museum, Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, Seton Hall University, Socrates Sculpture Park, Rush Arts, Flux Factory, Robert Miller Gallery, Emerson Dorsch Gallery and Rooster Gallery. Roa has participated in residency programs at The Bronx Museum of Art, Pace University and The Fountainhead Residency. He is a founding Member of the BroLab collective. Ryan Roa is currently based in New York.