ABOUT ROBERT MARS
Chronicling a fascination with 1950’s and 60’s iconography, Robert Mars creates artwork that celebrates the commonplace objects and icons of an America long past in a thoroughly modern, and exquisitely constructed, manner. His eye for a distinct facet of American history is impeccable, and his ability to manipulate both the color and wordplay of vintage printed material has earned him reference with the likes of Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, and Richard Diebenkorn, among other masters from the School of Pop. By taking inspiration from the Golden Age of American popular culture and celebrating figures of the 1950’s and 60’s, Mars’ artwork chronicles an evolving relationship with celebrity. Through the application of a rich color palette and tongue in cheek attitude, Mars’ paintings evoke a vintage quality of design and pay homage to the idealized age of growth and hopefulness that was prevalent in the USA at the end of World War II. A time before the internet and mobile technology, where visual information was not constantly blasted to millions, and there was no such thing as instant digital celebrities, where instead people lived with the myth of the unique, untouchable and unforgettable personalities of Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean, Audrey Hepburn, Elvis Presley, and many others.
By merging his own concept of personal idols with those of mainstream culture, Mars is able to focus his work on a deeper analysis of the Golden Age of Americana. His early work focuses on many of the architectural and mechanical forms of the 50’s and 60’s, where muscle cars, motels, kitschy logos, and hulking monuments to the "modern" feeling of the time reigned supreme. More recently, however, Mars’ artwork has shifted toward the culture of celebrity, and he is strikingly attuned to the fact that these instantly recognizable and larger than life personalities continue to resonate not only with contemporary American culture, but with a worldwide market.
Robert Mars (Born 1969)
BFA Parsons School of Design, New York, NY
Select Solo Exhibitions
March 2024 “Celebutants” And Collection, Tokyo, Japan
September 2023 “Convergency“ Lilac Gallery, New York, NY
September 2023 “Cinematic” Aerena Galleries, Napa, CA
November 2022 “Adorations” Gullotti Galleries, Perth, Western Australia
October 2021 “Past is present” Gullotti Galleries, Perth, Western Australia
May 2020 “Artifacts” Aerena Galleries, Napa, CA
May 2019 “These important years” Gilles Clement Gallery, Greenwich, CT
November 2018 “Lest we forget” Miller Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
October 2018 “Rebels and renegades” Aberson Exhibits, Tulsa, OK
July 2018 “Fame: Is it any wonder?” Aerena Galleries, Napa, CA
June 2016 “The golden age” Mead Carney Porto Montenegro, Montenegro
May 2016 “Days were golden” Evansville Museum, Evansville, IN
September 2015 “Boys are back in town” JoAnne Artman Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
October 2014 “A Love supreme” The Harvey B. Gantt Center, Charlotte, NC
September 2014 “Mars Attacks” JoAnne Artman Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
March 2014 “A Love Affair” DTR Modern, Washington, DC
December 2012 “Captivated” Coral Springs Museum Of Art, Coral Springs, FL
April 2012 “Stars and starlets” DTR Modern, New York, NY
October 2011 “American Idols” Galerie Bartoux, Honfleur, France
November 2010 “Lost and found” Gallery Brown, Los Angeles, CA
March 2010 “Chronicles of America” DTR Modern, Boston, MA
October 2009 “Ruins and relics” Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
September 2009 “Notes from the road” Hubert Gallery, New York, NY
Selected Group Exhibitions
February 2023 “Pop” Diehl Gallery, Jackson, WY September
November 2020 “Visual Effect” Laura Rathe Fine Art, Dallas, TX
October 2019 “Vernissage” Galerie Böttcher & Meider, Cologne, Germany
July 2019 “North by Northwest” Yellowstone Art Museum, Billings, MT
March 2019 “For the ages” Laura Rathe Fine Art, Dallas, TX
September 2018 “Text messages” Lanoue Gallery, Boston, MA
November 2017 “Iconic Patterns” Laura Rathe Fine Art, Dallas, TX
July 2017 “Lonesome Crowded West” Exhibit by Aberson, Tulsa, OK
September 2016 “Fifteen Minutes” Cornell Museum, Delray Beach, FL
May 2016 “Effervescence” Coca-Cola Museum, Atlanta, GA
September 2015 “Robert Mars and Matt Devine” DTR Modern, Boston, MA
April 2013 TedxPDX, Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
Corporate and Private Collections
Museum of Modern Art, NYC
Los Angeles County Museum Of Art, CA
Evansville Museum of Art
Coca-Cola Archives
It Cosmetics
Neiman Marcus
Yellowstone Art Museum
Philip Morris/ Altria
Coral Springs Museum Of Art
Taubman Museum
Monopol Hotel St Moritz
Bank of America
Le Bilboquet Atlanta
Absolut Vodka
Oceania Cruise Lines
Microsoft
Adidas
Andruw Jones/Atlanta Braves
International Museum of Collage
Assemblage, and Construction
PRPS
Jeff and Des Schaller
Scott and Jane Maxwell
ESPN X Games Division
Nike Communications
Wade Ehrlich Design
Benjamin Fernandez/Minart Museum Guadalajara
New Bedford Art Museum
Cherner Auto Group
United Legwear
Edward Belbruno
Elyse Walker
Jim Albaugh
Wes Engram/New York Mets
Rob Manfred/MLB Commissioner
Bob Bowman/MLB President
Ronald McDonald House
Emir Bahadir/BHDR
Ronald Brownstein and Eileen McMenamin
Michael Marocco