BLACKARTPROJECTS & MARK WHALEN PRESENT

B L A C K

PECULIARITIESLIAR

PECULIARITIES

Stand MP105Melbourne Art FairRoyal Exhibition BuildingCarlton, Victoria13 - 17 August, 2014

Peculiarities unveils the inner machinations of Australian born, Los Angeles based artist Mark Whalen’s mind. Using a tightly controlled painting technique, Whalen expresses satirical social narratives in seemingly universal situations. Strange hooded characters caught in the throes of ambiguous actions, shimmering trees, geometric patterns, architectural anomalies and intricate textural beads of color collide in kaleidoscopic intensity, at once immaculately composed and careening out of control. His use of sly oppositions reflects life's puzzling duality; evoking dark humor through luminous color, chaos through controlled detail and the sublime through the specific - a seductive synesthesia that sheds new light on humanity: which, like his works, is both erotic and oppressive, vibrant and reclusive, beautiful and uncanny.

PECULIARITIES

Room of knowledge (2013)mixed media on resin coated board4 panels, 120 x 90 cm overall

I’ll meet you in the middle (2013)mixed media on resin coated board6 panels, 120 x 135 cm overall

Room of thoughts (2014)mixed media on resin coated board57 cm d

Paths through geometry Vol.1 (2014)glazed ceramic27 x 19 cm

Paths through geometry Vol.1 (detail)glazed ceramic27 x 19 cm

Paths through geometry Vol.1 (verso, detail)glazed ceramic27 x 19 cm

Process of elimination (2014)mixed media on resin coated board57 cm d

Paths through geometry Vol.2 (2014)glazed ceramic27 x 19 cm

Paths through geometry Vol.2 (verso)glazed ceramic27 x 19 cm

Infinity swimmers (2014)mixed media on resin coated board57 cm d

Paths through geometry Vol.3 (2014)glazed ceramic27 x 19 cm

Paths through geometry Vol.3 (detail)glazed ceramic27 x 19 cm

Art collectors (2014)mixed media on resin coated board57 cm d

Journey to the centre (2014)woven jacquard, steel pole182 x 122 cm

Lights out (2013)mixed media on resin coated board32 cm d

Studio image courtesy of Su Yung Choi

Catalogue text courtesy of ZERO+ Publishing © ZERO+ PublishingFirst Edition 2011“The Paradox of Progress”ISBN: 978-1-937222-00-0

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