Down To Earth

Maxwell McMaster solo exhibition: July 21st - August 13th, 2018

Public Land is excited to announce its 2nd exhibition, Down To Earth by Maxwell McMaster, opening this Saturday, July 21st 6-9 P.M. Born and raised in Sacramento, Maxwell has resided in Los Angeles for nearly a decade and will be returning to his hometown for his first solo exhibition. In conversation about this newest collection of work, Maxwell “I Enjoy the idea of a body of work that connects my present surroundings to my hometown, a reminder to stay grounded and in many ways a kind of homecoming.” He goes on to disclose, “I am examining and playing with the idea that we are all born on the Earth, and (that) our bodies will one day return to it. Our connection to nature is always there and it has an array of healing properties.”

Recognized for his refined pastel color palette that often depicts serene California landscapes, Maxwell’s work engages viewers through hypnotic subtle imagery. In his surreal landscapes, the artist often employs the image of a tall skinny palm tree, an iconic symbol of California romanticism. Other paintings see the occasional appearance of planes, people or tranquil puffy clouds resembling silhouettes of recognizable figures. With all of his work, Maxwell finds a composed compositional balance, a skill he has an instinctive knack for and is a defining characteristic of his practice. For Down to Earth at Public Land, the artist will be showing all new works along with a site-specific installation. Maxwell graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and has had solo exhibitions at Gallery Nucleus in Portland, OR and at The Standard Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA. He has been included in a long list of group exhibitions and has painted several public murals, one outdoor large-scale project most recently commissioned by Dropbox.