NEW YORK, NY.- PhillipsX will present two concurrent selling exhibitions in the month of October, Nature, Myth, Identity: The Saar Assemblages and Written In The Sky: Works by Ed Ruscha. Each of these shows will be on view at 432 Park Avenue from 4 – 13 October. The Saar collection comes to Phillips in conjunction with Trotta-Bono Contemporary and features works by Betye, Lezley, and Alison Saar, collected over the course of a few decades by Jan and Dr. Richard Baum. This grouping of artwork reflects a familial narrative and the significant impact the Saar’s had on one another as well as the art world, particularly in the areas of African American art, feminist art, and assemblage. Alongside this is Written In The Sky: Works by Ed Ruscha featuring a variety of pieces from the artist, including the large scale masterpiece Alvarado to Doheny. This will be on view in conjunction with the retrospective ED RUSCHA / NOW THEN at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.

NATURE, MYTH, IDENTITY: THE SAAR ASSEMBLAGES

Spanning multiple generations of artists, Betye, Lezley, and Alison Saar have become renowned from their unique and thoughtful takes on a wide range of themes including race, gender, mysticism, identity, and African diaspora. The artworks from Betye Saar in this collection are from a particularly important and highly sought after period for the artist, featuring her iconic sculptures using found objects to explore different themes and motifs. Lezley Saar's work explores memory and the surreal, nature and technology, and the act of human intervention through assemblage. Known for her installations and sculptures, Alison Saar is a highly accomplished artist and engages with history and myth, drawing on the rich cultural traditions of Africa and the African diaspora. Through her work, she seeks to explore the complex and often painful legacies of slavery and colonialism, while also celebrating the resilience and creativity of black people throughout history. Betye Saar, Lezley Saar, and Alison Saar have all exhibited in major museums and galleries around the world and their works are part of many important public and private collections.

The works being offered come from the collection of Jan and Dr. Richard Baum, developed over the course of a few decades. The couple opened the Jan Baum Gallery in the late 1970s in Los Angeles with the support of their three children, which was an integral figure in the establishment of La Brea Avenue as a burgeoning art scene. As a pioneer in the world of collecting, the artworks on view are a testament to Jan Baum’s passion, vision, and dedication to the artists she collaborated with. Just as this was a family affair for the Baums, this grouping of artwork reflects a familial narrative for the artists as well.

WRITTEN IN THE SKY: WORKS BY ED RUSCHA

Ed Ruscha is known for his iconic blend of text and imagery, often which creates a sense of tension between the typography and the subject. Frequently using American landscape and culture as references, Alvarado to Doheny harkens to the streets of Los Angeles while hovering over a stark mountain landscape. Cityscapes, parking lots, the Hollywood Sign, and other symbols of American idealism are a common theme for Ruscha and the use of L.A. street names is featured throughout many of his other works. However, the vastness of Alvarado to Doheny, due both to size and deep blue tones, creates what could be felt as an uneasy relationship between the mountain and the text as they seem to have no relation to each other, emphasizing Ruscha’s grasp on putting everyday words and imagery in a sublime context. With the size of the text shrinking as it climbs the mountain, the attention is again placed on scale and the vast nature of the monumental mountain peak. Like many of Ruscha’s work, it draws in the viewer and entices the eye to keep searching for meaning amongst the white lettering.