Gallery Figueroa
Martin Mercer Show Wirte-up and Interview

Gallery Figueroa and Cannibal Flower are pleased to present the first formal exhibition of Martin Mercer's bold, surreal paintings depicting Los Angeles and its many unique inhabitants.

Saturday, March 30 - Sunday, April 28, 2002
"Two Sugars, Luv, and a Couple of Dreams on the Side" at Gallery Figueroa
Discussion with the artist and closing reception, April 27, 7 - 9 p.m.

Reception: March 30, 7 - 11 p.m., featuring electronic grooves by DJ Len:Deluxe and variety arts performed by Brad Weston.

"L.A. is a city that's been flayed," says Mercer. "Everything is exposed -- the phone wires, the train tracks, the power cables. Everything is above ground and on display."

And so this flayed city has become a muse for Mercer's intensely rich paintings. Bugs, freeways, helicoptersâ?”or "ghetto birds," as he calls them---plus a few tortured souls fight for space in his dense canvases. Bright colors inspired by Los Angeles graffiti further reinforce the fact that Mercer's vision has been influenced by our beloved, chaotic, and boldly naked City of Angels.

Perhaps it's his status as an L.A. newcomer that has given the artist such a sharp insight into our city. Mercer, the son of a dentist and homemaker, grew up in a quiet suburb of North London. Buildings were made of stone rather than stucco, and things had a sense of weight and permanence. To look at his work, it's as if Mercer cut the cord on all the heavy British burden and allowed himself to fly weightless in Los Angeles -- soaring in a dreamscape of sun, sand, and Santa Ana winds.

Mercer's paintings are a feast of beautiful detail and shocking images, and it's hard to believe he's only been tackling the brush and canvas for five years. He came to Los Angeles to make a name for himself in the film industry. He also came for love. The movie business has worked out; the love didn't. Paint was the salve for his broken heart, and Mercer is like a born-again preacher for the healing powers of art.

It may seem like an odd concept for an artist who is fascinated by skulls, beetles, and naked cityscapes. "Death intrigues me," says the 34-year-old painter. A skeleton is almost like another separate thing living inside of you. When you look at it, you know something used to exist on top of it. Without flesh, it's stripped."

If you are interested in purchasing a painting or monoprint by this artist, please contact the Gallery at (323) 258-5939 or email us: art@galleryfigueroa.com.