FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rob Fischer

December 16, 2006 – January 27, 2007            

Mary Goldman Gallery is pleased to announce the exhibition of new work by Rob Fischer on view from December 16, 2006 through January 27, 2007. An opening reception for the artist will be held on Saturday, December 16 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Wooden floorboards conjoin and snake up and around the gallery walls and floor to create a monumental maze-like sculpture entitled Bullrider's Advice. The piece traces the path of a bull rider and also refers to the myth of the Minotaur confined to a labyrinth.   The structure emphasizes the convoluted and haphazard nature of a journey with less attention focused on its beginning or end.   While physically relating to a path, in the abstract it invokes the trajectory of narrative.   When describing the work, Fischer tells the following story:

The title Bullriders Advice comes from a piece of writing by my wife Sara's uncle, as well as an experience we had this summer in Minnesota while visiting the Bullrider's Association competition. Bullriding itself is already a real act of faith as it is so dangerous.   But seemingly more treacherous is an event called ‘Cowboy Poker’ where people from the audience are chosen to play a game of poker in the middle of the bullring while one of the meanest bulls is let out.   The last person still at the table wins.   Four guys came out to play; two didn't even take the helmets or chest guards they were offered.   They were sitting at the table and the bull was let out and immediately it charged directly at this table of four. Not one of them got out of their chairs.   One of them didn't even look up.   The bull just plowed right over the table, stomping and dragging two of the players, then turning and fa cing back at the table again. Meanwhile everyone was going crazy because these guys kept playing while not even looking around.   The bull charged again and this one guy didn't even move yet somehow remained still while the bull plowed over it all, taking the table, the other chairs and the third player.   The guy that never even flinched was left sitting on a chair with no table. He won and celebrated by doing a hip-gyration.   A couple of days later we went to this junk place called the Trading Post where he works and we saw him and congratulated him. We asked him how he did it, how he dared it, and his only explanation was faith. That was it, just faith, that was his advice.

Rob Fischer is currently included in an exhibition at Arario Gallery, Seoul, along with his first solo exhibition in London at Max Wigram Gallery. Other recent exhibitions include PS 1 Contemporary Art Center New York, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Whitney Museum and Whitney Altria, New York, and the California Museum of Photography, Riverside. This is his third exhibition at Mary Goldman Gallery.

Mary Goldman Gallery is located at 932 Chung King Road in the Chinatown district of Los Angeles.   Gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. or by appointment.   For further information, please contact the gallery at 213 617 8217 or email info@marygoldman.com. Visit our web site www.marygoldman.com to find information on current and past exhibitions and gallery artists.