"the baby stopped crying hours ago. i’m afraid to go upstairs and check it." HOME.SWEET.HOME GERALD SLOTA / NEIL LABUTE October 14 – November 13, 2010 Opening Reception Thursday, Oct 21, 6 - 8 pm Ricco/Maresca Gallery is excited and honored to present Home.Sweet.Home, a unique collaboration between renowned playwright/filmmaker Neil LaBute, and artist/photographer Gerald Slota, delving deep into the skeleton-ridden closets of domestic Americana. Published in part for the first time in Aperture’s Fall 2009 issue, the exhibition was the culmination of twisted phrases provided by LaBute simply known as “thoughts,” which Slota then developed into sinister digital montages in order to bring them to life. Pushing one another to the darkest corners of their psyches, they found that the harder each one pressed, the more inspired each became.  Both known for their ability to transform otherwise innocuous situations into wickedly enticing concepts, their individual talents combined to create disturbingly beautiful pieces which manifest the latent malevolence of even the most seemingly benign of souls. Though never having met in person during the entire process, corresponding entirely through email, LaBute and Slota continually challenged each other’s artistry and imaginations; each image and underlying message pealing back the layers of pretension to reveal the haunting truth behind their characters’ facades. When viewing the world through LaBute and Slota’s looking glass, nothing is sacred: the underbelly of humanity stands mischievously exposed. Neil LaBute is a writer/director for theater, film, and television, and, on occasion, writes short stories and non-fiction. His new play, “The Break of Noon,” will premiere in NYC this fall, and another new work, “In a Forest, Dark and Deep,” will debut in London's West End in early 2011.  Gerald Slota has been widely exhibited across the US and abroad. His work is included in collections at the LA County Museum of Art, and the Whitney Museum of Art. His images have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, New York Magazine, BOMB, Blindspot, ARTNEWS, and Art in America.