Artist: Betye Saar

In conjunction with Getty’s PST ART: Art & Science Collide, Roberts Projects presents Betye Saar’s monumental altar assemblage, Mojotech. Created in 1987 during the artist’s residency at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), this installation-based work is a testament to the fusion of contemporary technology and the mystique of ancient spirituality.

With Mojotech, Saar speculates on the presence of magic in technology by integrating a variety of ritual objects, charms and symbols with circuit boards and computer parts that draw aesthetic parallels between the natural and modern worlds. As a communal work, visitors are invited to participate by leaving personal or technological offerings at the base of the altar. This process of accumulation is inspired by traditional African sculpture, which incorporates various decorative and “power” elements from across its diverse cultural practices.

Archival materials from Saar’s artist residency will be displayed in the exhibition space, including original photos, slides, sketches and printed materials that connect Mojotech’s installation at MIT in 1987 to our present moment.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a catalogue to be published by Roberts Projects, featuring extensive materials from Saar’s residency at MIT and Mojotech’s installation history over the years.