to the press release, La Rocco, who is also an editor-at-large for The Brooklyn Rail, is thinking about weighty,
philosophical themes, such as time, birth, matter, and light. “Masonite, a common utilitarian board, functions as a
symbol for foundation, which he then uses as a surface to explore
aspects of human consciousness through his work with color and line.” Referencing both the planet and the Roman god, the paintings in “Saturn’s Gate” have an urgency — agitated, imaginative, and most of all sincere.
Ben La Rocco, Degrees Of Darkness And Light, 2015, mixed media on Masonite, 96 x 96 inches.
“Ben La Rocco: Saturn’s Gates,” Slag, Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY. Through December 13, 2015.
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Where the paintings are
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Nice post. I like La Rocco's earnest gravity. There's some self-aware levity in his work, so it's not sanctimonious. At the same time, it doesn't default to hipster cynicism.