Mark Whalen is an Australian-born, Los Angeles based artist. His artwork exhibits dark humor and vibrancy. The figures he puts in his pieces interact with space, time and narratives through his paintings and ceramic works.
“Grab Bag” Miniature collection and “Ramble Ramble”
Whalen is inspired to create these pieces based on his ongoing interest that he describes as “Life’s puzzling duality”. The overall feeling of his pieces gives the effect of discomfort or struggle. All of the characters are seen to be in states of work, play, pleasure or pain.
“3 men, 1 net”
- In this piece, Each pastel male or female interacts with the objects around them as if they are struggling to get away or that they feel trapped.
In 2016, Mark Whalen’s work filled Australia’s Chalk Horse gallery. Each piece gives emotion to tension and anxiety based on how the characters react to the objects around them. His paintings, sculptures, and ceramics have been exhibited throughout Australia and internationally. His work is held in the National Gallery of Austalia, Artbank, and numerous other private art collections.
The Chalk Horse Gallery offers insight into Whalen’s pieces by commenting, “The exhibition sums up contemporary anxiety, that you see not only in art but also in fashionable dressing or other activities connected to our identities.” The pieces speak to people because they make people feel as if the characters are struggling with self-exploration which each person has dealt with sometime in there lives.
“Double Knot” and “Tied Up”
- In the first piece, the two characters are sandwiched between three objects held together between a rope. This shows that you shouldn’t feel alone in situations.
- In the second piece, the character is tangled between two ropes and seems to struggle while he looks down at himself. This shows the struggles of anxiety and finding balance in oneself.
“Squeeze” Miniature collection and A picture of Mark Whalen