Elizabeth Ibarra

Proceed

January 18 - March 13, 2021

CHECKLIST AVAILABLE HERE

The Pit is pleased to announce “Proceed," a new solo exhibition by Los Angeles based artist Elizabeth Ibarra (b. 1986; Guadalajara, Mexico).  The exhibition consists of six new large scale framed works on Yupo paper, as well as an installation of smaller framed works on paper and canvas in addition to a selection of her intimately scaled assembled wood sculptures.  This is the artist’s first solo exhibition in Los Angeles, as well as her first with The Pit.

Elizabeth Ibarra’s shadowy surreal works portray obscured moments and environments inhabited with horned creatures.  The works pay stylistic tribute to the legacy of Art Brut.  The smaller pieces mix cold wax with paint in order to create thick encrusted surfaces with her signature scratchy and gestural figuration.  This exhibition is the first introduction to Ibarra’s large-scale works on paper.  These larger works on Yupo paper are constructed with thinner layers of speedy mark making to build her signature hazy and abstracted environments and  her dark and horned figures.  At times a pallet knife, or similar hard surfaced material can be seen to scrape into these layers creating line work made from the reduction of material rather than the application of additional waxy layers.  These different approaches to compositional building give these larger tableaus an added dreamlike quality, as if the images are quickly coalescing from smoke before drifting back into abstraction.  

In addition to the painted works, there is an installation of Ibarra’s intimately scaled wooden assemblage sculptures.  The four figurative totemic sculptures are all made from found wood and bark.  The disparate pieces are fitted together creating other abstracted, horned dream creatures.  The repetition of these horned figures throughout the show brings to mind legendary surrealist Max Ernst’s repeated use of mythological images as well as totemistic forms of abstract figuration.  Although in stark contrast to Ernst’s highly rendered canvases and polished sculptures a more impulsive, gestural, quality is found throughout all of the works in “Proceed” giving these works both the surreal dreamscape qualities of the surrealists as well as the raw powerful drive of artists such as Jean Dubuffet or Louise Bourgeois.

Elizabeth Ibarra (b. 1986, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico) currently works and resides in Los Angeles CA.  Recent exhibitions include a solo with Rental Gallery, NY, the Newsstand Project, Los Angeles CA.  Her work has been reviewed and featured in Art Forum and the Brooklyn Rail.  

Inquiries please contact Adam@the-pit.la