Rochester Contemporary Art Center
137 East Avenue
Rochester, N.Y. 14604 
Map
Normal Gallery Hours: Wed - Sun 1-5
Admission: members: free / non-members: $1
Makers & Mentors
New paintings, prints and mixed media artworks by
Robert Marx, Ron Pokrasso & David Bumbeck
Rochester Contemporary Art Center: February 3 - March 18, 2012
(1/2/2012) Rochester, NY Rochester Contemporary Art Center is pleased to announce Makers & Mentors, an important exhibition featuring and celebrating the artwork and influence of one of the region’s most well-known and accomplished artists: Robert Ernst Marx. Marx chose two of his former students, Ron Pokrasso (New Mexico) and David Bumbeck (Vermont) to join him in RoCo’s 2012 Makers & Mentors exhibition.
Robert Ernst Marx is a nationally renowned painter and printmaker, and has been an important figure in Rochester’s art scene for generations. Marx’s oil paintings, prints and drawings commonly touch upon religious and social issues, often illustrate power dynamics and share a dark set of emotions. Born in Germany in 1925, Marx grew up in the US and received a B.F.A. in painting and an M.F.A in print making from the University of Illinois. Robert’s work has been exhibited in many group and solo exhibitions throughout the U.S. and is included in numerous collections including The Brooklyn Museum of Art (Brooklyn, NY) Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland, OH), National Gallery of Art (Washington, DC), Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, NY), and the Museum of Modern Art (New York, NY). Marx has taught at Flint institute of Art (Flint, Michigan), Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY), and SUNY College of Brockport (Brockport, NY) Makers & Mentors features 11 new paintings, one sculpture and one drawing by Robert Ernst Marx. The exhibition will also include a new video interview with Marx about his artwork, influences and career.
Ron Pokrasso is a printmaker, painter and educator whose work often juxtaposes seemingly unrelated and competing elements through his mastery of various print making processes. Born in Brooklyn, NY in 1951, Pokrasso moved to New Mexico in 1978 and received a B.S. from SUNY Brockport and an M.F.A from the Pratt Institute. Ron’s artwork has been exhibited in group and solo exhibitions throughout the U.S. and is included in the collections of The Riverside Art Museum (Riverside, CA), and The Chicago Public Library (Chicago, IL) among others. Pokrasso has strong connections to Rochester, NY and he studied with Robert Ernst Marx at SUNY College of Brockport. Makers & Mentors includes 14 recent prints and mixed media artworks by Ron Pokrasso.
David Bumbeck is a nationally recognized artist whose works combine his resilient interest in the old masters and modernist approaches to the figure and landscape. Born in Massachusetts in 1940, Bumbeck received a B.F.A. from the Rhode Island School of Design and an M.F.A from Syracuse University. Bumbeck’s artwork has also been exhibited in group and solo exhibitions throughout the U.S. and is included in numerous collections including The Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, NY) Everson Museum (Syracuse, NY), and The DeCordova Museum (Lincoln, MA). Bumbeck studied with Robert Ernst Marx at Syracuse University. Makers & Mentors features 13 recent paintings and mixed media artworks by David Bumbeck.
This exhibition continues the important Maker / Mentor series at RoCo. Last year’s Maker/Mentor exhibition featured renowned artist couple Wendell Castle and Nancy Jurs along with their former students Tom Lacagnina and Bethany Krull. This ongoing series of exhibitions furthers a dialog about the dual role of artists as creators and educators and highlights established artists who live in the region, some of which are accomplished and recognized nationally yet may not often exhibit their work in this area.
Makers & Mentors: February 3 - March 18, 2012
First Friday Opening Reception: February 3, 6-10pm
Artists’ Talk: February 5, 1pm
* Images available upon request (bleu@rochestercontemporary.org)
For more information about our programs please visit: www.rochestercontemporary.org
Rochester Contemporary Art Center is non-profit and a venue for the exchange of ideas. As a center for thoughtful contemporary art RoCo provides unique encounters for audiences and extraordinary opportunities for artists.