Curated by Lisa Dennison

The exhibition’s title WALL ROCKETS refers to a painting completed in 2000 by Ed Ruscha, arguably one of the most innovative artists in the past four decades. A group of international artists were selected for this exhibition, many of whom contributed new works specifically for the show.

Ed Ruscha’s oeuvre consists of artist’s books, photography, printmaking, painting, and drawing (made in both conventional and unorthodox materials including gunpowder, blood, and chocolate). One of the first American artists to consider the role of consumerism in art and culture, Ruscha references the American landscape, Southern California in particular, as a reflection on the urban experience, and explores the complexities of language as a form of visual imagery. Ruscha’s artistic practice has directly or indirectly influenced and inspired many generations of artists and informs the viewer’s experience of each of the “wall rockets” in the show.

Featured Artists:

About:

Lisa Dennison is Chair of Sotheby’s North and South America, responsible for international business development and client relationships. From 1978 to 2007, Dennison was on the staff of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, most recently as Director of the Guggenheim Museum in New York, NY, and prior to that, as Deputy Director and Chief Curator of Foundation. During her tenure at the Museum, Dennison curated numerous exhibitions of Modern and contemporary art, many based on the Guggenheim’s renowned permanent collection She was also responsible for the exhibition program and collection development activities for the Guggenheim Museums in New York, Venice, Bilbao, Berlin, and Las Vegas. Dennison is the author of more than 25 essays in catalogues that accompanied the exhibitions she organized for the Guggenheim and for major institutions around the world.

Dennison earned a BA from Wellesley College, Middletown, CT, in art history and French in 1975, and received an MA in art history from Brown University, Providence, RI, in 1978. A Founding Member of the Creative Arts Advisory Board of Brown University, she also serves on the Board of Directors of the Byrd-Hoffman Foundation; the New York Committee of the Wellesley College Friends of Art; the International Advisory Board of the Louise T. Blouin Foundation; and is a member of Art Table and The Women’s Forum.

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