SHRINE Presents Old and Rare Works By Prophet Royal Robertson At 2017 OUTSIDER ART FAIR, 1/19-22

SHRINE is very pleased to announce a solo presentation of old and rare works by Prophet RoyAl Robertson (1936-1997) for the 2017 Outsider Art Fair, which will be held at the Metropolitan Pavillion January 19-22 and marks the fair's 25th anniversary.

RoyAl Robertson obsessively covered almost every inch of his Baldwin, Louisiana home and yard with apocalyptic hand-made signs and visionary double-sided drawings and paintings. Visitors of this self-proclaimed prophet were greeted with large, weatherbeaten signs warning "NO DIVORCE WHORE'S ALLOWED (sic)", "NO PROUD BASTARDS" and "ALL CRAZY PERSONS KEEP OFF LOT" before entering into his home. Once inside, shrines to his both beloved and despised ex-wife, Adell, came into focus amid poster board renderings of futuristic cities and autos, UFOs, couples engaged in sex, angels and space Gods, and detailed calendars chronicling his daily woes. Referencing sources as disparate as the Bible, science fiction magazines, pornography and cheap tabloid newspapers, his work graphically illustrates the daily concerns that occupied his mind, both real and imagined.

For this exhibition, the original drawing used by Sufjan Stevens for his album, The Age of Adz, will be available for the first time. Stevens not only incorporated imagery by Robertsonfor his cover and insert artwork, he also usEd RoyAl Robertson's life story as the conceptual springboard for the album's narraitive. Unlike most art fair sales, this drawing will be avaialble as an online auction starting the opening night of the fair and closing a week later.

In addition to the Age of Adz drawing, a selection of very
early, hand-painted signs from RoyAl Robertson's first yard environment will be shown at the Outsider Art Fair. These signs are extremely rare and have never before been
exhibited in New York.