MARA MARS
Artists in residence for the month of May 2024
Born 10.11.1949 in Rüti, ZH, Switzerland
Apprenticeship as an advertising assistant – worked for various art directors
Since 1979 a professional self-trained artist.
1999 Work contribution by Esther Matossi-Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland
2010 Member of Visarte -Visual arts association Switzerland
2015 Winner of a Residence at the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris
Several stays in New York City.
I live in Zurich and work in my studio in Dietikon – Switzerland.
VARIETY OF MEANS OF EXPRESSION – NO UNITY OF STYLE
Photography, installation, painting, embroidery, textile and leather wall pieces and video
are the media I work with.
I like to create installations for a specific location on a given theme – such as installation
<Reflection>, 2021, on the subject of <Dimensions>
I like to create installations for a specific location on a given theme – such as installation
<Reflection>, 2021, on the subject of <Dimensions>
<REFLECTION>, 2021
and
<FALSE BLOOSOMS>, 2008, on the subject of >Weightlessness> for the lakeside resort Utoquai in Zurich.
<FALSE BLOSSOMS>, 2008
I am interested in everything surrounding me and realize my works in work groups and serials:
In New York I filmed the sky – an exhibition of video stills <SKY NYC>, printed on canvas, were exhibited at Galerie Alex Schlesinger in Zurich. In Zurich I focused my gaze on the shadows of trees and plants on the concrete floor of Zurich – the photos of the series <Volative Images> were also presented at Alex Schlesinger.
2009 I made my third work with embroidery: <A Mirror of Modern Emotion>, exhibition titles embroidered on coffee coasters. In 2007 I did six over-embroideries, embroidery on found embroidery, and in 2003 I embroidered headlines from New York daily newspapers during the Iraq War.
The photography project <1994 – 2003>, is about 10 people in different ages in 10 years – every year a new photography – 100 black and white photographs – was completed in 2008. A beautiful book object with 10 leporellos (a leporello from each person) and texts from Ruth Schweikert, a well-known swiss writer.
My newest works 2022/2023 are leather and fabric wall pieces and new paintings
<TOGETHER>, 2019, 108 x 126 cm
<WHAT HAPPENS>, 2020, 143 x 135 cm
<FLOW>, 2024, Acrylic on canvas,
Here in Akureyri I am very inspired by the beautiful lava landscapes, the mountains, elves, trolls, sea – all this deep impressions have leed me to serveal new works like
<BLACK & WHITE>
saw many mountain ridges covered half with snow and the patterns between snow and lava are so beautiful – a lot of magical figures appeas.. I have some painted after photographs I took – but the nature is much more impressive.
We have the choice to look at the black or the white.
<SILVER>
The light in Iceland is so special and I take for it silver foil.
This work is dedicated to elves, fairies, trolls and all nature spirits whitch lives together in peace and happyness.
