Of Life And Death – No More Notes on the probing art of David Marron
David Marron’s art is about the visual interpretation of a fundamental human condition, that of being between life and death, positioned between the actual objects that surround the body, and their symbolic meaning that survive it.
In a rare space between the aesthetically viable and the documentary vivid, the metaphorical and the literal, and aligned with poignant emblems of life and death, lies the art of artist David Marron.
Marron’s figures carry many visual references, from those of anatomical illustrations, to archaeological findings in ancient burials. They recall the flayed bodies rendered by Renaissance artists, by 18th century wax modellers, by artists working in tandem with pioneering anatomists. With the major difference that Marron’s figures don’t aspire to anatomical accuracy, nor do they stand proudly to display the God-given spectacle of their wondrous bodily machinery.
However still and poignant, each figure modelled by Marron does not exist in isolation. The artist conceives of them as part of a tableau. Some figures are contained within narrow frames that recall cabinets of curiosity, complete with some of the relevant compulsory objects extracted from the worlds of naturalia and arteficialia.
Figures that belong to a ‘collection’ of symbolic human forms, to be displayed together, in a circle, with a stringent plan that takes into account the geometry of the human mind, patterns drawn by nature and by the human hand. These are elements that create a sort of theatre of memory, or a memento mori encrusted with the curious jewels of life.
Above are extracts from an essay by Marina Wallace from a Notebook published by GV Art for this occasion.
Upper Gallery – Imaginary Shipwreck (2005-07)
A three part installation comprising of Notes, a Drawing and a Sculpture, conceived from a chance encounter with Rembrandt’s portrait of Margaretha de Geer
Lower Galleries – Circular Ruin (2007-ongoing)
An ongoing installation to be completed next year, comprising twelve figures arranged in a circle, surrounded by eight drawings and four projected media.
See:www.gvart.co.uk/
