Marcos Ramirez (Erre), Sing-Sing, 1999. Iron structure with bed sheeting, installation view

Marcos Ramirez (Erre)

San Diego

The Museum of Contemporary Art

Located amidst the bustle of downtown city streets, Marcos Ramirez’s 14-foot Acorazado asserts a commanding presence. Painted camouflage gray, the massive sculpted heart blends with the metallic tones of the city environment, while appearing as an unexpected surprise. Artistically related to the work of Pop art doyen Claes Oldenburg, who since the early ’60s has been spinning ordinary objects and cliches into monumental sculptures, Ramirez’s massive pieces emerge from the context of popular culture. While Ramirez’s works carry familiar overtones that make it immediately accessibility to a broad audience, unlike Oldenburg, his creative impetus is often conceptually moored in well-known stories and tales, respun to approach contemporary problems and issues… See the print version of Sculpture Magazine for the full review.

Zonok Ben-David, Evolution and Theory, 1998. View of installation.