Aura Rosenberg – I Know It When I See It

Martos Gallery, Chelsea NYC Opening Reception Friday February 22, 2013.

Event photos by Michael C Anton

In the movie Goldfinger, M asks Bond: “What do you know about gold?” Bond replies, “I know it when I see it.”

Martos Gallery presents Aura Rosenberg’s first solo show with the gallery.

The Golden Age of Porn:
More than twenty-five years ago Aura Rosenberg made paintings based on images from pornographic magazines. These publications featured fantasy narratives enacted by a cast of porn stars with elaborate sets and props. When she returned to this material a few years ago, she found that the magazines were no longer being published. Googleing the names of some of the actors, what came up was “The Golden Age of Porn”—a period extending from the late 1960s to the mid ’80s.

The Astrological Ways: (Full sized body impressions in white paint on black background)

You could once tell time by looking at the starry sky. Celestial bodies formed patterns that told you the time of year. Based on a black light day-glo poster from 1972, “The Afrological Ways,” links sexual positions with astrological signs. Couples cover their bodies with paint and imprint their images onto black velvet. There is one painting for each sign. At tonight’s opening, a live performance took place creating a new image for the series.