March 2011

Corrigan Gallery LLC in Charleston, SC, Offers Works by Paul Mardikian

Corrigan Gallery LLC in Charleston, SC, will present the exhibit Terra Mater, featuring works by local artist/conservator Paul Mardikian, on view from Mar. 1 - 31, 2012. A reception will be held on Mar. 2, from 5-8pm.

“Terra Mater” is a tribute to Mardikin’s muse, mother earth. Influenced by the philosophy and reflections of Gaston Bachelard on the imagination, daydreams and poetry of what he calls “Earth and Reverie,” Mardikian’s poetic vision of the world is reflected in this exhibition. He compares the surfaces of his paintings to imaginary landscapes of his mind creating his own “poetic iconography.” Landscapes of the mind also carry scars and traces of the past through memory, dreams and imagination and the inevitable erosion of time.

“I have a great interest in textures, layers and stratigraphy,” says Mardikian. “My paintings resemble an archaeological excavation because they are multi-layered and reveal themselves slowly like a journey that unfolds through time.” Terra Mater connects with themes established in his previous solo shows exhibited at the Corrigan Gallery; Totems and Icons in 2008, and Palimpsest in 2010. Mardikian’s paintings are heavily inspired by his travels to places such as Australia, India, and Africa and this artist’s career as a professional archaeological conservator.

Mardikian was born in France in 1963 and spent most of his childhood near Paris. At the age of 25, while studying archaeology and conservation science at the School of the Louvre and the Sorbonne University, Mardikian developed his own painting techniques and tools that he uses to convey his feelings through abstract painting. Mardikian’s training in art restoration offered him a precious understanding of the chemical, physical and optical properties of paint.

Mardikian’s career in conserving archaeological artifacts, such as those of the Titanic and the Hunley submarine, has fueled his inspiration. Being directly connected to the past, discovering and preserving the fragile remains of ancient civilizations, has left a mark on his artwork. “Interpreting abstract traces of humanity such as imprints, traces of fire, tracks, trash, brush stokes, graffiti, and scarifications left by a human being on any given substrate are part of this iconography. Those traces, whether intentional or inadvertent, are symbolic of the temporary physical presence of a person in the flux of time,” says Mardikian.

In its seventh year, Corrigan Gallery is the culmination of 23 years of experience in the Charleston art market. Representing more than a dozen artists in an intimate space, the gallery presents a new show almost every month and invites visiting artists to present exhibitions. Other gallery artists include Manning Williams, Duke Hagerty, Lynne Riding, Sue Simons Wallace, Gordon Nicholson, John Moore, William Meisburger, Mary Walker, Lese Corrigan, Kristi Ryba, Joe Walters, Kevin Bruce Parent and John Hull.

A gallery of contemporary works exploring the depth and intellect behind the drive to create, Corrigan Gallery provides a depth to the historic city’s traditional bent.

For further information check our SC Commercial Gallery listings, call 843/722-9868 or visit (http://www.corrigangallery.com).

[ | March 2012 | Feature Articles | Carolina Arts Unleashed | Gallery Listings | Home | ]