Group shows | Articulate

Opens on Apr 6 until Apr 28, 2024

My work is a reflection of the wonder and turmoil I simultaneously experience when contemplating the colossal forces that created Earth, but could also destroy everything we know and love if the fragile life-sustaining equilibrium is broken. The making of Impact was initiated by my fascination with the origins of our planet. From the massive collisions of primordial celestial bodies, to the fierce climatic events of fire and ice, and the relentless movement of tectonic plates over millennia, each element of Earth’s formation confirms the incredible power and majesty of the universe. The same formidable events that gave rise to life on Earth are also a reminder of its fragility. The painting's juxtaposition of strength and immateriality, chaos and order, is a metaphor for the duality of our existence: a constant struggle between creation and destruction, reverence and angst. Impact is not only a visual statement about cosmic forces and profound feelings: it is also an expression of collective human experience and a reminder of our fundamental interconnectedness with the natural world.

Drawing inspiration from historical thinking and contemporary space exploration data, my practice is an investigation of the past and present ideas connected to the concept of cosmic sublime. I create my paintings over many weeks by applying numerous layers of paint and preserving colour washes, brushwork, paint pouring, splattering and spraying between coats of transparent medium to form a record of accumulation and transformation. This approach mirrors the perpetual changes in the universe and makes the unseen visible. My drawings, videos, and clay works similarly evoke sublime experiences that point to cosmic events and sensations.

Maria Constantinescu

Impact