Ry Rocklen

Featured in The Bakery, American born artist Ry Rocklen (1978) presents his creatively infused series of work. This is Ry Rocklen's first solo project at the Annet Gelink Gallery. Prior exhibitions include works featured at the Marc Jancou Contemporary in New York City (2009), and at the group show In Geneva No One Can Hear You Scream at Blondeau Fine Art Services in Geneva (2008).   

For his three-piece mixed-media installation, this Los Angeles native utilizes a plethora of discarded materials, primarily acquired from the streets. His inspiration can be found anywhere from alleyways to hole-in-the-wall thrift stores. For his installation at The Bakery Ry Rocklen has transfigured a pink futon and old rolls of carpet found together in the front yard of a house in his neighbourhood. In using these abandoned materials he gives them a second-life: transforming the cultural debris…into sculptures that exhibit the complexities of existence (Rocklen 2009).

Ry Rocklen's cartoon-like Princess (2009) is elegantly comprised of a balloon, epoxy putty and glitter, while Futon (2009) consists of a futon mattress encased in fiber glass, and covered in iridescent pink tiles. These two sculptures will be exhibited on a pedastool of carpet tiles. Along the walls surrounding this set of sculptures and carpet is a rope from which hangs Health Medallion White 2 (2009), a wooden circle, engraved, and painted. Atypical of conventional artistic standards, Ry Rocklen audaciously challenges us to look at art from an experimental and refreshing perspective.