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Lordy Rodriguez: States of America

Austin Museum of Art

February 21st through May 17th

The Austin Museum of Art (AMOA) presents Lordy Rodriguez: States of America. Rodriguez’s decade-long project reconfigures the 50 states and explores the addition of five new “states” - Hollywood, Internet, Monopoly, Territory and Disney - that newly define our perceived geographic version.

Rodriguez grew up primarily in Louisiana and Texas, often traveling with his family across the country. Inspired by his study of maps on these trips, Rodriguez now reconfigures existing maps, creating imaginary compositions that are at once distinctly familiar and candidly absurd.

These meticulous ink-on-paper maps depict elaborate, imagined geographies populated with misplaced cities and fictive landmarks. Based upon highly personalized decisions and careful research, each map relates to the artist’s own experience of America and its history.

“Rodriguez is fascinated by cartography and takes it to the extreme,” said exhibition curator Eva Buttacavoli. “This project shows both his dexterity and growth over the ten-year time span of this project, and - like charting a road trip - reflects upon changing memories, perceptions and new directions in his growth as an artist.”

At quick glance, Rodriguez’s work could be mistaken for any other map that you may have seen in grade school. Upon closer examination, viewers begin to discover anomalies and peculiar juxtapositions. For example, Rodriguez has cut the District of Columbia in two and distributed it between the “states” of Hollywood and Monopoly - symbolically locating our nation’s capital and its political power somewhere in between the influence of the entertainment industry and corporate America.

Lordy Rodriguez: States of America will be on display through May 17th at the Austin Museum of Art, located at 823 Congress Avenue at the corner of Congress and 9th Street in downtown Austin. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and students, and children under 12 are free. For information, call (512) 495-9224 or visit www.AMOA.org.