The show of 20 paintings, all the same size and within the same frames, taking over the walls at the expansive new Now contemporary art gallery, is not easy. Nothing from the the cerebral and thoughtful Ruben Torres Llorca ever is. But while intense, “Figure 1 to 20/20 Yards of Art” is not difficult — it’s actually quite simple

in its premise, the commonality of defeat. It’s also one of the best shows out there, hands down.

Starting at the beginning, figure by figure, each piece has a short text at the bottom, taking the visitor through the various failures of of the world’ social systems.

The Cuban-born Torres Llorca, who has made his home in Miami since 1993, has always been political and controversial. He’s been featured in group and solo shows in Latin America, New York, and here, including a complex and fascinating one at the Frost Museum several years ago, when he poked gentle and not-so-gentle fun at the art world.

That theme emerges here too, along with his critique of the broader world itself. For instance, the above-mentioned frames. Each image is bordered by four yard-stick rulers, the artist’s commentary on we who think of art as “by the pound, or — literally, by the yard.”

Back to the figures, which are also simple, sometimes referencing the Wild West or Superheroes. They include small inserts, often a headshot of a real-life historical personality. And not the ones we love  — there’s Mao, Lenin, McCarthy. And below each one a small line of text: under one cowboy, “what’s robbing a bank compared to owning one?”; under a bellydancer with a small photo of a soldier, “no magic carpet to Baghdad.”

All works are acrylic on wood, all are 36 inches by 36 inches, all are somber in color and tone. In such a sprawling space as NOW (it’s also gorgeous), this could be a problem, but it’s not. Following the story of the figures, almost page by page while walking the bright space, gives even more weight to what you are viewing, rather than engulfing and therefore losing the images and impressions. NOW made a good decision to grant this amount of space to a solo outing from someone who should be heard.

“Figure 1 to 20/20 Yards of Art” through Oct. 29 at NOW contemporary art, 175 N.W 25th St., Miami; 305-571-8181; www.nowcontemporaryart.com