Gallery 16 is proud to represent the Estate of Rex Ray. Beginning Thursday July 9, a major exhibition of the late artist’s work will be open for public viewing. To coincide with the show, we’ll release a new monograph by Griff Williams, published by Chronicle Books, that documents Rex Ray’s influential career.
Rex Ray (1956–2015) was a beloved San Francisco artist and designer recognized worldwide for his distinct graphic compositions, saturated colors and unapologetic devotion to beauty. His art was widely viewed as an accessible link to the pop and modernist aesthetic although his work referenced a variety of influences—including the Arts and Crafts movement, Fluxus, Dadaism, Abstract Expressionism, organic and hard-edged abstraction, pattern and textile design, and Op Art. This democratic confluence of influences spoke to multiple audiences and certainly helps account for his widespread popularity.
The show will present artwork never previously displayed, including large scale canvases, prints, and collages. His epic collection of paper collages titled, “Wall Of Sound” will be installed in the gallery. The piece was an ongoing project which grew in size between 1996 and 2004. It is comprised of over 500 cut paper collages on small sheets hung end-to-end in what is called library style.
