Robert Mars
Palms, 2007, mixed media, 48 x 36 in.
How Good It Is, 2008, mixed media, 48 x 36 in.
Glitter Gulch, 2007, mixed media, 48 x 36 in.
Franks, 2007, mixed media, 24 x 18 in.
Five On The Floor, 2008, mixed media, 30 x 24 in.
What A Good Time, 2008, mixed media, 48 x 36 in.
Come Back Soon, 2007, mixed media, 30 x 24 in.
Artist Statement
My work is a chronicle of Americana. I am determined to capture the independent aesthetic of the not-so-distant past that has been replaced by homogenized corporate culture and standardized cityscapes. Industrial design, graphic design, architecture, vintage neon and mid-century icons all render important roles in my work.
My paintings employ layers of color, subtly collaged printed matter from the 1950’s and 1960’s, and stark, black imagery. Remote, indistinct landscapes capture the once poetic, and now nearly lost highway strips of the American past. Formerly the promise of hope and prosperity; these icons are now a sign of desperation and ruin.