Steve Rucker’s “Focus Group,” a ceramic and mixed media installation, references the billions of dollars spent on advertising  various products, including medications and even wars, which are initially shown to focus groups in order to refine marketing strategies.

The artist’s installation is composed of 160 six-inch human forms, which have been created by hand with great variation. The ‘human race” figures are randomly hung in a line circumnavigating the two exhibition spaces.  In forming his “human race” figures,  Rucker works quickly, continuing his life-long approach to expressionist art. Each figure is fired and then painted with acrylic wash and sprayed with a polyurethane satin coat.