Nods to the philosophical and an absurdist humor set the tone of this eclectic group show that is never short on substance.  An homage of sorts to a late UC Berkeley professor, “Don’t call me when you are rich or famous. Call me only if you are in the gutter.” is a mix of emerging and mid-career artists, and although painting dominates, there are also satisfying forays into sculpture, installation, film, and photography. Mostly comprised of American artists based in California and New York, the show also includes a smattering of works by German artists Corinna Schnitt and Bendix Harms and Canada-born Jagdeep Raina.

Elizabeth Ferry, Die on Pedestal (2016), courtesy of the the artist and Grice Bench. Photo by Joshua White.

Here, the irreverent and playful are built on smart, often philosophical underpinnings. Elizabeth Ferry’s Die on Pedestal (2016) consists of an oversized, crudely fashioned die atop a raw wood pedestal, bearing the letters “EFIG” on the side amid glitter sparkle. The work’s playful form butts up against the suggestion of an effigy, and takes it further with the obvious double entendre of the title. Situated in relation to philosopher Immanuel Kant’s musings on wallpaper and the pedagogical value of decorative arts sits Corinna Schnitt’s Drawing 1 (2015), a small colored pencil drawing of a decorative floral motif, using only x’s as its structural syntax, as if transcribing a cross-stitch or upholstery textile. Nick Herman’s Imperial (Green) (2015), a canvas plastered in tiled remnants from an Imperial-brand commercial product, is also a nod toward Kant’s wallpaper, but does so with a decidedly pop slant.

Corinna Schnitt, Drawing 1 (2015), courtesy of the the artist and Grice Bench. Photo by Joshua White.

Luis Flores’ installation Fuck It, I Guess I’m Gonna Die (2016) is a (perhaps too) literal, part-modernized take on “Buridan’s Ass”, a philosophical paradox that illustrates problems inherent to free will. Here, a clothed woolen figure donning a donkey mask stands ineffectually between two bales of hay on the floor, unable to pursue either due to the inability to make a rational decision in a situation where the incentives are equal.

Roger White, Untitled (2016), courtesy of the the artist and Grice Bench. Photo by Joshua White.

A noteworthy highlight of the show is the work of Roger White, which includes a watercolor portrait of philosopher F.P. Ramsey (2016), a small oil painting of Donald Trump’s coif on a display stand in Trophy (2016), and Untitled (2016), a quotidian yet exquisitely-rendered bathroom still life pictured through the reflection of a mirror. Even without knowledge of the philosophical referents, much appreciation can be found in the formal sophistication, humor, and smart sensibility of the works in “Don’t call me…”

“Don’t call me when you are rich or famous. Call me only if you are in the gutter”, July 9-August 27, 2016, at Grice Bench, 915 Mateo Street, 210, Los Angeles, California, 90021, www.gricebench.com