The third exhibition we have done at the Ivy Brown Gallery of these amazing and most extraordinary relics discovered by Joshua Goode and the Aurora-Rhoman Institute of Archaeology and Cultural Relics during recent archaeological expeditions.

The first evidence of the ancient Texas civilization that has come to be known as the Aurora-Rhoman Civilization was discovered between Aurora and Rhome, Texas in 1981. Foundations, walls, underground chambers, wells, irrigation ditches, along with pottery, tools, figurines, and other artifacts have been discovered at this site. The following years of research led to the full discovery of a large city complex that dated to at least 15,000 BCE.

Additional city complexes have been excavated in the surrounding region that demonstrate how this was not an isolated city but part of a larger empire that had far reaching influence on later civilizations. Mainstream Archaeologists doubt the validity of this discovery and in this exhibition visitors will have the opportunity to view iconic Rhoman artifacts and determine for themselves the veracity of Joshua Goode’s research.

Born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1981, Joshua Goode is researching and developing mythic historical misinterpretations and manipulations in an effort to expose the malleability of our past, present and future. His alternate history and mythology preserve memories of childhood ranch life in Texas by reimagining objects and imagery from his youth as iconic ancient artifacts. Having studied history and worked as an archaeologist on many actual excavations, he conducts staged excavations around the world, working with the community as a performance. The constructed artifacts of his invented civilization mix fact and fiction to appropriate and distort the history and myths of each region he engages. His ‘artifacts’ have been exhibited in solo exhibitions in international venues such as the Razliv Museum, St. Petersburg, (Russia); Capellades Museum, Barcelona, (Spain); Zendai Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, (China); Darb 1718 in Cairo, (Egypt); LaSala Gallery, Zaragoza, (Spain); Galerija Miroslav Kraljevic, Zagreb, (Croatia); Borey Gallery, St. Petersburg, (Russia), and the Monchskirchein Museum, Salzwedel, (Germany), James Freeman Gallery, London, (England), Maxim Boxer Gallery, Moscow.

Goode received his MFA from Boston University and has participated in residencies in Russia, Germany, Finland, Spain and was a researcher on an archaeological dig for the University of Tubingen at Vogelherd Cave in Germany. He received the Dozier Award from the Dallas Museum of Art and is currently the Chair of the Fine Arts Department at Tarrant County College in Fort Worth, Texas.