Craig LaRotonda - My Malignant Twin, Acrylic on Wood, 2009

Last Rites Gallery is pleased to present From The Ashes of Angels, an exhibition of new works by Craig LaRotonda.  This is LaRotonda's first solo exhibition with the gallery.

Opening Reception: Saturday, December 5th, 7-11pm

On Display: December 5th - December 27th, 2009

Born in Buffalo NY 1970, Craig LaRotonda studied with the internationally renowned illustrator Alan Cober, at The State University of New York at Buffalo where he received his B.F.A. in Art in 1992.   In 1997 Craig moved to San Francisco, California and formed Revelation Studios, a fine art and commercial studio.

LaRotonda's artwork graces the walls of famous homes including collectors in France, Germany, Norway, Mexico, France and Canada, as well as a host of collectors in the U.S. His distinctive art appears published in 3 feature-length motion pictures through his relationship with Film Art LA including the Academy Award wining film “Traffic” (dir. By Steven Soderbergh) as well as numerous publications such as Time Magazine, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Village Voice, Juxtapoz and The New York Times.

LaRotonda's eerie and contemplative paintings have been exhibited at galleries in Los Angeles, New York, Detroit, Santa Monica, Santa Fe, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Palm Springs, Buffalo, Scottsdale, San Francisco and Paris.

Actor Johnny Depp sums up LaRontonda's work best, "Lyrical, beguiling, poetic, unearthly, enchanting and unnerving in equal measure. I can barely bring myself to look away from these mirrored remnants of a forgotten history; innocence as grotesque, grotesque as innocence. I like it."

LAST RITES GALLERY - 511 W. 33rd St., 3rd Fl., New York, NY 10001 - 212.529.066 - www.lastritesgallery.com