Home Grown: Walter Robinson, June 20 - August 30, 2015, Palo Alto Art Center.

Renegade Humor, February 3, 2012 - July 8, 2012, New Wing, Second Floor, Central Skylight and South Metro A Galleries, San José Museum of Art.

Variations on a Theme, May 23, 2009 - February 7, 2010, New Wing, Second Floor, Central Skylight Gallery, San José Museum of Art. (Included in Part II: August 1, 2009-February 7, 2010.)

Renegade Humor (2012)

At first glance, Walter Robinson’s sculptures of camels, giraffes, and hippopotami appear innocent, sweet, and adorable. To craft his seemingly playful animals, Robinson applies shiny epoxy resin and metal flake coating to ordinary materials such as carved wood, plaster, Styrofoam, and found or appropriated objects. Featuring slick surfaces and vibrant colors, Robinson’s sculptures bring synthetic materials to representations of the natural world. The artist embraces the artificiality of advertising and consumer culture as a means to address pressing social issues such as excessive consumption and our relationship to the environment.

Since 2000, Robinson has produced a series of larger-than-life replicas of pink and white frosting-coated animal cookies adorned with multicolored sprinkles. They evoke childhood memories, but use this emotional resonance to express social critique. Melt features three freestanding polar bears huddled around a pale blue pool of melted ice. The shiny creatures comment on global warming, specifically endangered polar bears, and the shrinking Arctic ice pack.

This object was included in the following exhibitions:

• Variations on a Theme San Jose Museum of Art , 5/23/2009 - 2/7/2010

• Sculpture Dimensions: 32 x 96 x 48 in. (81.28 x 243.84 x 121.92 cm)

This object is a member of the following portfolios: