“The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) presents an exhibition dedicated to the work of American artist Roger Brown (1941-1997), examining the ways in which collecting, arrangement, and the theatrical informed and enriched his artistic practice. Roger Brown: Virtual Still Lifes features works made in the final years of the artist’s life that combined his passion for collecting with his groundbreaking approach to painting. Marking the first solo museum show in New York devoted to Brown, the exhibition at MAD offers a rare opportunity to view over forty works that trace the artist’s evolution through the lens of collection and display.” — MAD
“Roger Brown is a historically significant figure in American painting,” said Shannon R. Stratton, exhibition curator and former MAD William and Mildred Lasdon Chief Curator, “whose signature style of ominous weather, patterned landscapes, omnipotent points of view, and nods to the theatrical make for a nuanced critique of the artificiality of post-war American culture. His and his contemporaries’ influence can be felt anew, as young artists today re-explore surrealism, pop culture, and vernacular aesthetics as a means to examine contemporary life.”
Installation views of Roger Brown: Virtual Still Lives at the Museum of Arts and Design, New York (May 2–September 15, 2019). Photo by Jenna Bascom. Courtesy the Museum of Arts and Design.
