Bihl Haus Arts presents “Ex Pluribus Unum: Structuring Complex Wholes,” an exhibition by multi-disciplinary artist and designer Roland Rodriguez, featuring fine art constructions with architectural and graphic design elements. It opens with a reception from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, September 5 at the Bihl Haus Gallery, 2803 Fredericksburg Road. The exhibition runs through September 26, when there will be a “meet the artist” reception for the closing.

Rodriguez explained that this exhibition recognizes the world’s ordered structure, one in which that order is evident in a distinct language of aesthetics.

“Order and structure come to us from the Greeks, then through Rome, the Renaissance, and the Baroque,” he said. “New architecture, when well done, is concerned with order. It may be a higher order of complexity, hence the term ‘complex wholes.’”

This idea ties in with the title of his exhibition, “Ex Pluribus Unum: Structuring Complex Wholes.” “The title (in Latin meaning ‘one from many’) refers to an additive process that brings together different elements in a series of staged combinations,” Rodriguez said. “The final piece can be the result of bringing together several smaller compositions to create a complex order.”

An important aspect of Rodriguez’s works addresses the question of beauty. “What ever happened to the pursuit of beauty in art?” he asks. “For some, it became fashionable to dispose of beauty, yet we need it in our lives because its transcendent quality takes us beyond our personal or cultural limitations to a place where we can be fully realized as human beings.”

It is the artist’s hope that viewers will appreciate works of his exhibition for their multi-faceted elements that combine graphic design, architecture and fine art.

About the Artist
Defying easy categorization, Roland Rodriguez draws on decades of collaboration with architects, museum teams, and editorial designers to transform visual communication into compelling fine art. His multi-layered drawings, intricate diagrams, and sculptural collages serve as concrete meditations on urban life, human experience, and structured design — influenced by pioneers like Thom Mayne of Morphosis Architects, Hans Dieter Schaal, Charles Eames and Massimo Vignelli. Rodriguez graduated from University of Notre Dame with a 5-year degree in architecture.

About Bihl Haus Arts
Founded in 2005, Bihl Haus Arts is a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that improves the health and quality of life for active older adults and veterans through art education and further creates community through the arts with exhibitions, performances, literary events, artist talks, and the annual On and Off Fredericksburg Road Studio Tour. For more information, visit www.bihlhausarts.org or call (210) 339-8982.