September 18 - October 30, 2016

Adrianne Rubenstein

Peaceful Alien

Opening Sunday September 18, 2016 from 4-7pm

Peaceful Alien consists of five paintings installed in the intimate Pit II gallery.  Inspiration for the works were drawn from various sources ranging from the sculptor Tetsumi Kudo,children’s book author and illustrator Graeme Base, and the tv show “Roswell” from the late 90’s. Nostalgia and personal memory make a central conceptual underpinning to Rubenstein’s bright, playful paintings.  In preparation for making the works in the exhibition, the artist spent time visiting cities that she used to live; San Francisco, Toronto, Montreal and New Foundland. Echoes of her experiences, and memories from her time in these places are found in the works.

The exhibition’s title was inspired by the alien themed sci-fi drama Roswell from the early 2000’s.  The teens in this series are alien/human hybrids who were sent to Roswell to fulfill their destiny. In this soap opera, teenagers were empathetic about being different and fell in love. When the couples were romantic they had visions of a past world, an empire on another planet. It was interesting enough having these aliens find their soulmates, but the show sought to heighten that by linking it with historic events.

The show is an apt metaphor for much of Rubenstein’s practice. At first glance many of the works have a whimsical feeling and a playful approach, such as compositions of giant broccoli planets in outer space, but the real crux of the work’s hinge on exploring emotional and often personal histories. In Rubenstein’s paintings earthly objects,  such as broccoli, flora, and honeybees are painted and investigated with the same earnest impetus as fantastical subjects such as aliens, planets and underwater worlds (a similar idea of hybridization occurred in Roswell).

Peaceful Alien is Rubenstein’s first solo exhibition with The Pit and in Los Angeles. Recent exhibitions include solo exhibitions at White Columns NYC, Halsey McKay NY, and David Peterson Gallery MN; as well as group exhibitions at Karma NY, The Pit LA, Harper’s Books NY, Lyles & King NY, Regina Rex NY, and CANADA NY. She has also curated exhibitions at Venus Over Los Angeles, Fourteen30 Contemporary OR, Brennan & Griffin NY, Regina Rex NY, and James Fuentes NY.

A limited edition Risograph artist book has been made in conjunction with the exhibition Peaceful Alien.  Rubenstein designed the 3 color Riso zine titled “The Broccoli Book”.  It has been printed in an edition of 125 and is available at the gallery zine shop or our online store.  

Inquiries can be sent to info@the-pit.la