Ratio 3 is thrilled to announce The Present Tense, a new exhibition in a new format. Taking place over several months, The Present Tense is a regularly changing two-artist exhibition featuring new artworks by gallery-represented artists and artists from outside the Ratio 3 program.
The Present Tense begins as a solo presentation of minimal sculptures by San Francisco-based artist Mitzi Pederson. Continuing her ongoing exploration of deceptively simple constructions, Pederson has developed a series of wall-mounted objects assembled from hand-cut strips of painted plywood. Pederson’s latest works are both elegant, delicate sculptures and bold, concise paintings.
Three weeks into The Present Tense, Pederson’s installation is revisited and reinstalled alongside multiple new series of photographs by Berlin-based artist Miriam Böhm. As the exhibition progresses, each artist’s work replaces a preceding artist’s work; the discourse between artists changes fluidly as new artworks are presented in relation to drastically different practices. Three weeks after Miriam Böhm’s photographs enter the exhibition, Mitzi Pederson’s artworks exit and Böhm’s works are reinstalled in response to a series of new ceramic sculptures by Ben Peterson.
To mark the transition from Pederson’s initial presentation to the first of many two-artist conversations, Ratio 3 welcomes the public to attend a brief walkthrough of the exhibition and a discussion of Böhm’s and Pederson’s practices on Saturday, April 1, at 11am, led by Lawrence Rinder, director of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. This event takes place at the gallery; admission is free. As artists rotate into and out of The Present Tense, Ratio 3 will announce additional discussions hosted by writers, curators, and artists familiar with the artworks on view.
The Present Tense emphasizes the perpetual nature of artistic thought and production. It is a platform to introduce new practices, reinterpret familiar bodies of work, and respond immediately to artists in an urgent moment. The Present Tense is a group exhibition drawn across time, a series of two-artist conversations, a continuous rotation surveying several artists’ practices, and an invitation for discourse.

Opening reception: Friday, March 10, 6-8pm

mpefm USA art press release