Rodney Graham

Begun in 2005, Rodney Graham’s series of paintings and drawing entitled Picasso, My Master initiated the artist’s experimentation with traditional media he had not previously addressed during his career, even if their art historical legacy had been an integral, if latent presence. Even as the title Picasso, My Master suggests an homage to Picasso’s aura and influence on contemporary art, Graham doesn’t pastiche any of the elder artist’s works. Thus the works have a studied generality. he custom-made frames are intended to recall a period style, yet similar to the paintings themselves, more as an idea than as an actual representation of such frames.