RYAN FLORES AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER
Presented in partnership with Tishman Speyer at Rockefeller Center
Press Release
ART IN FOCUS PUBLIC ART PRESENTATION BY
BROOKLYN-BASED CERAMICS ARTIST RYAN FLORES
DISPLAYED IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT ROCKEFELLER CENTER®
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ART PRODUCTION FUND
NEW YORK, NY - Rockefeller Center and Art Production Fund will continue their Art in Focus partnership this summer with a site-specific public art presentation by Brooklyn-based ceramics artist RYAN FLORES. In compliance with all City and State guidelines, the art will be presented in both prominent and unexpected public and outdoor locations throughout the Rockefeller Center campus that allow for ample social distancing space. Flores’ presentation “Low Lifes: An Upside Down Love Letter” will launch on June 25, 2020.
“Low Lifes: An Upside Down Love Letter” continues Flores’ exploration of material seduction and its connection to the viewer through the use of ceramic objects. The show takes on a process that is evident in both art history and our contemporary consumer culture creating an excess or grandiosity around everyday objects. New York’s Fifth Avenue is the epicenter of the artistic approach to window displays within the United States and has had a rich history of artists who have created masterpieces within this format. The project is aimed at the element of seduction which is created within these window displays.
The compositions and works Flores presents in the vinyl mural spaces at Rockefeller Center draw from art history influenced by the tactics developed by the Bodegón painters such as geometric clarity through precision in placement and the use of sharp light. The sculptural installations in the vitrine spaces are inspired by the architecture and design of Rockefeller Center itself and play upon ideas of decor and embellishment as a means to transform surface into form.
“In my work I am continually investigating the relationship between cultural norms of aesthetics and symbology and trying to capture what these convey about us on an anthropological level: what sort of artifacts do we leave behind, and what do they say about us? Ceramic elements play a major role because of the material’s seductive qualities. My work lies in the spectrum of seduction and repulsion; in this place of duality I hope to create complex objects, provoking conflicting reactions through relatable subverted forms.” - RYAN FLORES.
“We are thrilled to present our next Art in Focus public program by Ryan Flores. Flores’ installation is the first time the program will show ceramic works, and we are so pleased to share this medium with the public, while following social distancing guidelines. Public art is more important than ever, and viewers will have the opportunity to safely enjoy Flores’ unique vision exhibited in this beautiful and thought-provoking installation.” - CASEY FREMONT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ART PRODUCTION FUND
”Even as New York City continues social distancing practices, we are committed to providing unique offerings, both in-person and virtually, to all who work at or visit Rockefeller Center,” said EB Kelly, Tishman Speyer Managing Director overseeing Rockefeller Center. “Art in Focus allows for New Yorkers to enjoy incredible artwork from New York artists, touch-free, in vast public spaces without tickets, whenever it is convenient for them.”
The 2020 Art in Focus program will include artist presentations by VANESSA GERMAN, RYAN FLORES, and GENEVIEVE GAIGNARD. This year’s program will explore themes surrounding personal identity within the context of historical representation and contemporary American life.
RYAN FLORES was born and raised in the greater Los Angeles area. A practicing sculptor and ceramicist, he currently lives and works in Brooklyn. He received a BFA in Ceramics from California State University, Long Beach and an MFA in Sculpture + Extended Media from Virginia Commonwealth University.
ART IN FOCUS is a multidisciplinary program that showcases installations by contemporary artists inspired by the New York City landscape and contemporary life. Artists featured in the series will have their work displayed in a number of prominent and unexpected public locations throughout Rockefeller Center. Art in Focus is presented in partnership with Art Production Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to commissioning and producing ambitious public art projects, reaching new audiences, and expanding awareness through contemporary art. Past Art in Focus artists include Joana Avillez (Rockefeller Center Holiday Map, December 2018), Hein Koh (Braving the Cold, January-April 2019), Portia Munson (Pink Projects, April-July 2019), LaKela Brown (July-September 2019), Lucy Sparrow (Lucy’s Delicatessen on 6th, September-November 2019), Angelica Hicks (Rockefeller Center Holiday Map, December 2019), and Vanessa German (The Holiest Wilderness if Freedom, January-April 2020)
ART PRODUCTION FUND is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to commissioning and producing ambitious public art projects, reaching new audiences and expanding awareness through contemporary art. Past projects include: Elmgreen & Dragset,“Prada Marfa,” Valentine, TX, Ugo Rondinone, “Seven Magic Mountains,” Las Vegas, Jeff Koons, “Seated Ballerina,” Rockefeller Plaza, NYC, Zoe Buckman, “CHAMP,” LA; Raul de Nieves “When I Look In To Your Eyes I See the Sun,” Miami; Lucy Sparrow “Lucy’s Delicatessen on 6th,” Rockefeller Center, NYC. For more information, please visit artproductionfund.org / @artproductionfund
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