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Marisol Malatesta

Date of birth 16.Jan.76
Place of birth Lima-Peru
Country of residence United Kingdom
Contact marisolmala@hotmail.com

In her new series of carefully constructed figures, Malatesta uses images of ecstatic nature taken from Spanish religious paintings of the XVI and XVII centuries. This period, the so-called Golden Age of Spanish Art, had a strong influence on Peruvian art (and its idiosyncrasy?) for centuries. Malatesta’s work appropriates and relocates these images into new scenarios, fused with popular culture imagery such as advertising, the Internet and found artefacts. In subtlety perverse ways her work rouses criticism on occidental traditions, modern lifestyle, and consumerism.

Peruvian folklore and iconography serve as a reference in the artist’s reflection on gender and ethnic stereotypes, and at the same time assist in the exploration of ideas related to processes of cultural exchange and social exclusion. Repeatedly, the resulting imagery evokes the traditional canons of representation, and the colonialist theme that underpins them.

This exhibition represents a search for the aptitude of painting in constructing artifice, and its potential in the reestablishment of its role within the contemporary context. The title, Parts of the face are not likely to change much either, is an excerpt from the text Method for Learning How to Draw Passions (1702) by the French painter Charles Le Brun. By following some of Le Brun principles, Malatesta explores the boundaries between ‘artisan’ practices whose objective is similarity, against a more ‘sacred’ whose aim is to persuade. The intermingling of the different theoretical references results in a series of metamorphic figures, with a understated uncanny effects.

During the process of painting, shapes juxtapose and blend between abstraction and figuration, creating a tension between its formulaic and uncontrolled essences. Malatesta’s ongoing and often compulsive practice is driven by a great enjoyment of making, of observing texture, colour, composition and a searching for visual pleasure. She says: ‘I am trying to project a mixture of the sinister and the overjoyed by trying to re-interpret images of an ambiguous nature; making reference to cartoon-like, simple -almost childish - shapes next to more subversive and apocalyptic ones.’

Marisol Malatesta (born Lima) lives and works in London. She completed a Post-Graduate Diploma and MA in Fine Arts at Byam Shaw School of Art (2002-03), as well as a BA at Universidad Catolica del Peru. Previous exhibitions include Russell Herron Collection at Sartorial Contemporary London 2009, Tail devourer and Culture Clash at Working Rooms London 2008-2009, I’m not pregnant! At Meals & SUVs Project Space London 2008, Jerwood Contemporary Painters 2007 at Jerwood Space, London, BayArt, Cardiff and The Lowry Salford Quays, Manchester.

Exhibitions Marmite Prize Invite, 25.Nov - 30.Nov.08, Studio 1.1, Start Your Collection 2008!, 01.Aug - 20.Sep.08, Contemporary Art Projects, Poetic Licence, 13.Jun - 06.Jul.08, Crimes Town, Start Your Collection 2007!, 01.Aug - 30.Sep.07, Contemporary Art Projects, Jerwood Contemporary Painters, 15.Feb - 31.Mar.07, JVA at Jerwood Space, Summer exhibition 2006, 17.Aug - 03.Sep.06, Contemporary Art Projects