Richard Nam & Magnus Sodamin

February 3 - March 16, 2024

The Pit Palm Springs

The Pit is pleased to present a two person exhibition of new works by Los Angeles based artist Richard Nam and Miami based artist Magnus Sodamin. Nam’s ceramic pots are shown alongside Sodamin’s oil paintings on canvas in an exhibition that lays bare a beautiful timeline of evolution on our home planet.

Inspired by his obsession with paleontology and the history of the earth, Richard Nam creates unique dinosaur vessels that can be used as planters. These whimsical and playful sculptures, which Nam calls "Dino-Pots," reference the power and fragility of nature. The clay itself is an ancient material, both incredibly durable and incredibly fragile. In this way Nam honors the power of nature and simultaneously references it’s vulnerability. In his practice, Nam draws inspiration from the works of Bill Waterman, Verne Dawson, Wayne Thiebaud, and Zdeněk Burian.

Similarly drawing inspiration from the rugged beauty and enduring qualities of the rock and elements, Sodamin's work delves into the captivating existence of life in site-specific Palm Springs and the encompassing Mojave Desert. His work presents a spectrum of paintings featuring the resilient Yucca, the iconic Joshua trees, enigmatic owls, and fleet-footed jack rabbits, all depicting the dynamic interplay between predators and prey within this nocturnal realm, hidden from the human eye.

In anticipation of this exhibition, Sodamin embarked on a 10,000-mile journey, creating a flurry of plein air studies in order to digest this landscape. One prevailing revelation was the interconnectedness and timeless allure of this landscape. His focus on the pulsating vitality of life, transformation of these canvases into a kaleidoscopic testament, embodying the spirited essence of the desert.

The desert, a repository of eons past, lays bare a mosaic of fossils dating back millions of years, juxtaposed alongside the current tapestry of life. With the paintings of winged descendants exhibited alongside the ceramic “Dino-Pots” of Richard Nam, the evolutionary odyssey is revealed from ancient dinosaurs to the avian predators that still grace our modern mammalian world. This exhibition intricately weaves together the fabric of life within its desert habitat, offering an intimate portrayal of existence nestled within this arid expanse.

For further information, please contact the gallery at info@the-pit.la.