Created By
Maria Marshall
Acrylic on canvas performance painting
Curator
Luke Chapman
The piece manages to feel both archeological and avant-garde, suggesting that in our search for new modes of expression, we often circle back to our most fundamental human impulses to leave our mark and tell our stories. Through Marshall's masterful handling of medium and message, we're invited into a space where past and present collapse into a single, vibrant moment of artistic truth.
In Marshall's "Blindfolded Series," we encounter a copper-toned tableau that pulses with raw, kinetic energy. The work, etched into what appears to be a metallic surface, presents a fascinating interplay of figures caught in various states of motion and contemplation. The piece strikes an immediate chord with its rich terracotta palette, reminiscent of ancient cave paintings yet thoroughly contemporary in its execution. Marshall has created a rhythmic composition through scattered dot-like indentations that punctuate the space, creating a grid-like structure that both contains and liberates the gestural figures within. What's particularly compelling is Marshall's use of linear scratches and etchings to capture human forms in their most essential state. These figures, rendered with a spontaneous, almost jazz-like improvisation, seem to dance across the oxidized surface. The central figure strides purposefully through the space, while others appear to float in various states of observation or dialogue, their faces reduced to primitive yet expressive marks. The work's surface treatment is particularly striking – the varying intensities of the orange-red patina create an atmospheric depth that seems to both emerge from and recede into the metallic plane. This technical mastery serves Marshall's conceptual exploration of perception and movement beautifully. Drawing from both modernist traditions and contemporary mark-making techniques, Marshall has created a work that speaks to both primal human expression and sophisticated artistic discourse. The "Blindfold Series" challenges us to consider how we navigate space, both physical and metaphysical, while being guided by unseen forces – a theme that resonates deeply in our current moment.
Created By
Maria Marshall
185 cm | 73 in
2024