My move from abstract painting to social and politically engaged art developed from a personal response to the environmental crises. Finding ways to draw attention to environmental stress changed the direction and the scope of my practice and facilitated a move beyond the limitations of paint and the confinement of the wall. Through sculpture, installation, video and sound I try to engage the visitor with works which are at times humorous and at times profoundly serious. Pieces have direct social and political reference, yet the  visual language is restrained and can sometimes be oblique. Final works are spare, presentation is formal and extraneous detail is omitted. Addressing unpleasant facts in language which is both political and poetic can generate oppositional tensions and produce compelling results. Collaboration, especially with contemporary composers, has further extended the scope and reach of my work. I am particularly interested in the ‘spatial’ aspect of sound, its capacity to fill the room, surround the audience and directly access the nervous system.

 

Marie Hanlon is an Irish artist working in sculpture, installation, video and drawing. She holds an MA in ‘Art in the Contemporary World from The School of Visual Culture, NCAD, Dublin, and a BA in English and Art History from University College Dublin.

In recent years she has produced several collaborative projects with Irish composers, notably with Rhona Clarke. Her work has been exhibited and screened widely in Ireland and internationally. In 2015 Marie Hanlon was elected to Aosdána – the official body of cultural producers in Ireland.