Things You Should Know About Robert Mars

Robert Mars draws inspiration from a bygone era of American popular culture to create works documenting a growing nostalgia for the '50s and '60s. Mars' paintings evoke a vintage design quality and pay homage to the idealized era of growth and hopefulness prevalent in the United States at the end of the Depression by applying a rich color palette and tongue-in-cheek attitude. When Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean, Audrey Hepburn, and Elvis Presley were still alive, people believed in the legend of their distinct, untouchable, and everlasting personalities because there was no such thing as an instant online celebrity.

Mars can focus on more in-depth research of the Golden Age of American personalities thanks to the confluence of his notion of personal idols with those of mainstream culture. His first works mirror many of the architectural and mechanical landmarks of the 1950s and 1960s, an era that has always captivated his artistic attention. His first works are characterized by a preponderance of muscle cars, hotels, logos, and massive monuments that evoke a "modern" aesthetic. Recently, Mars' artwork has veered toward the culture of celebrities, and he is susceptible to the reality that these instantly identifiable and larger-than-life individuals continue to reverberate in modern American culture. 

Mars, a New York native and Parsons School of Design alum, begins his works by laying down many layers of brown paper to establish boundaries and separate color planes. By sanding away sections of the layers as he works, he reveals the required areas of underpainting, with the ultimate goal of providing the observer with a subdued glimpse into America's history. Mars, a New York-based artist, has created a body of work that honors the everyday items and emblems of a bygone era in American culture while being totally contemporary and exquisitely made. His ability to manage the color and wordplay of historical printed material and his keen eye for a specific aspect of American history have earned him comparisons to the likes of Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Richard Diebenkorn, and other masters from the School of Pop. 

Museums worldwide include pieces by Robert Mars, including those in Munich, Tokyo, Amsterdam, London, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, Paris, Aspen, and Naples. Oceania Cruise Lines commissioned him to make site-specific sculptures for their newest cruise ship, the Marina, and his work will be included in the forthcoming Absolut Vodka 2012 campaign.

Final Words

Looking for the best contemporary fine arts gallery? If so, look no further than Canfin Gallery. High-quality artwork is still being sold, and a stable of mid-level artists from around the world is being supported. For more details, visit https://www.canfingallery.com/artist/mars-robert/.