Licensing
Photo copyright by
Fabian Hentzen
Mark Harrington
Documentary, 20 minutes, DV, 16:9, stereo
Year of production: 2009
Director: Fabian Hentzen
Production: Seeblick
Versions: English
"At a time when abstract painting, indeed painting in general, seems on the wane, Harrington produces paintings that validate the perpetual human act of visual denotation. Harrington's paintings are marked surfaces that represent themselves. But they also permit the viewer to contemplate creativity by following the directions of his lines of discontinuous rhythm, which are placed on layered surfaces of pigment. These lines or bands animate the tinted space as they move beyond the frame. The paintings, recalling John Cage’s musical compositions, have no beginning and no end, appearing like fragments of infinitude. " Peter Selz, Professor Emeritus of Art History, UC Berkeley
The film characterises a personal portrait of the American artist in his new homeland. After long stays in Great Britain and Norway Mark Harrington based his new atelier in the rural south of Munich in Bavaria. Now he works at a farm as a next-door neighbour to Sean Scully. The film accompanies the formation of new works and shows the operation principles of the painter which he developed over the years. The motives of the artist 56 years of age are indicated. His own work he describes as follows: " In their format, colour and textural horizontality my paintings focus on space and light. No narrative. No symbolism. No reference. No representation. They may be analogous to aspects of the world and our experience, but are not evocative of conditions outside themselves. However, I want them to mean and to arouse a sense of resolve and upliftedness." In order to look for specific pieces of furniture for the new atelier he crosses through Bavaria. In Altötting he makes a stop at the famous pilgrimage chapel. The abstract painter is delighted by the numberless votiv pictures around the black virgin mary.
For licensing and more information please contact:
Björn Jensen
email: jensen(at)gingerfoot.de
© by Seeblick, 2009
Photo copyright by Fabian Hentzen
