RUTHANN and CON ALTURA are pleased to present Coated / Coded, a three-person exhibition featuring George Rodriguez, Richard Saja, and Thomas Spoerndle. Working with ceramics, textiles, embroidery and painting, these artists explore cultural narratives, the meaning of craft, and perceptual play. There is joy and mischief afoot as they create their own unique systems and subvert our expectations. 

At RUTHANN, CON ALTURA will feature the highly ornate and large-scale ceramic work of George Rodriguez. Rodriguez’s “El Demonio” and “El Héroe” are part of a series of figures titled, “Los Personajes,” which explores the artist’s history and identity; dreams and fears, and the power of culture. Thomas Spoerndle’s “Frik-Shun” paintings utilize structure and pattern only to disrupt expectations with shifting rhythms, creating visual vibrations and waveforms. Richard Saja creates “interferences” of formal patterns of French toile and tapestries through embroidery,  knot-making, and stitching. 

Coated / Coded is a curatorial collaboration with CON ALTURA and Steve Rivera. CON ALTURA is a new platform dedicated to centering Latinx artists, and our allies, in the contemporary art world. The program takes a worldwide perspective while sharing the voices of contemporary artists who are working with social justice issues and are actively shaping the way we see ourselves and each other.

George Rodriguez creates highly ornamented, figurative ceramic sculptures, often underlined by a connection to the sociopolitical issues the artist explores.

Richard Saja uses antique and vintage fabric designs to create embroidered inaccuracies and unexpected narratives. With a playful take on craft and textile, he joyfully sneaks in unusual details and cheeky winks.

Thomas Spoerndle's paintings emerge through organized systems of form, color and pattern. His work explores layers, slowness, rhythms and musicality. The works are structured but open, and vibrate with subtle disruptions.

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