With its relocation to a beautiful new space on Washington Blvd in Culver City, Roberts and Tilton Gallery decided to show the Culver City art scene what they’ve got. Starting fresh in their new location, the gallery owners and director took on the challenge of curating a group show that incorporates a work from each of the artists that they represent. Calling the exhibit Macrocosm, the curators selected a diverse selection of works from their international group of artists, bringing together examples of the smaller entities, or microscosms, that are united by the larger entity that is the gallery. Either made specifically for the show, or otherwise not previously seen by the public, the works in the show are as diverse as the artists that make them, ranging from fiberglass sculpture to abstract painting. But despite the diversity in artistic practices and media, the exhibition remains cohesive because each artist, working in agreement with the structure of the gallery’s philosophy, makes work about his or her own surroundings.

Walking through the Macrocosm exhibition, one begins in the main gallery, to see the variety of artists represented by the gallery. Kehinde Wiley’s nine foot square painting of an African-American man holding a baseball cap riding noble on a decorated horse is framed in a large gold frame – the decorative pattern of the frame extending onto the surface of the canvas, slowly embracing the painting’s subject. This decorative golden painting is contrasted by a red cast aluminum sculpture by Thomas Kiesewetter. Then on the next wall over, Jimmy Baker’s high gloss realistic painting could at first glance be mistaken for a photograph. The main room also contains new work by Ellen De Meutter, Titus Kaphar, Jeremy Everett, Adam Janes, Becca Mann, Ederhard Havekost, Faris McReynolds, Peter Rogiers, Noah Davis, and Andrew Schoultz. Just beyond the main room of the gallery is the projects room, which in the future will be used for installation and site-specific works. Along with work by Ai Yamaguchi, Ellen De Meutter, Delphine Courtillot and Matt Leines, this room contains Ed Templeton’s Eulogy for Lost Saliva, a series of simply framed photos of kissing faces clustered together on the wall – nearly in the shape of lips.

Exhibiting a range of fresh new work, by fresh young artists, Roberts and Tilton Gallery made a great decision moving to Culver City – this beautiful new space and fascinating group of artists will certainly add to the rapidly developing Culver City art scene.

(Images from top to bottom: Kehinde Wiley, Count Potocki, 2008, Oil on canvas, 9 X 9 feet (2.74 X 2.74 m); Titus Kaphar, Bind Up Thy Wounds, 2008, Oil on cut canvas, 40 x 30 in (101.6 x 76.2 cm); Peter Rogiers, Icequeen, 2007/8, Epoxy, PU-foam, metal, glass, plastic, paint, fiberglass, 40.5 x 17.3 x 13.8 in , (102.9 x 43.9 x 35.1 cm))