pen & ink
At the beginning of his art practice, Mark worked extensively with pen and ink. Using this medium he created varied images ranging from densely built up forms with light and shade to works where the line was used to evoke rather than represent various elements. However, he soon found the line modulations emerging from this medium rather predictable. He countered this by evolving a technique of drawing with a bottle filled with ink. As the ink from the bottle flowed at a variable pace it produced surprising effects. Mark enjoyed these results, submitting his work process and imagery to the spontaneous nature of the line thus produced. To describe the place of the line in Mark’s works using the sensibility seen within it, one can say that the line became his central performer. This was both in terms of the importance he accorded it and its quality- the line in his paintings, drawings and woodcarvings performs to capture various kinds of movement.
Mark’s works begin from his own experience. Drawn to dance, music and theatre from various geographies, genres and types, he keenly attends such events both locally and while travelling. During this time he documents it through videos. Later, he reflects on the emotional aspects of his experience and the nuances of the performance available to him through his documentation to arrive at key moments. He freezes these moments as stills and creates his images based on these. However, this process is not merely transferring a photographic image to a drawing. Instead, he aims to convey the overall experience of the performance through aesthetic means.
The experience of viewing a performance is a combination of factors- the sense of being in a certain physical space where events unfold across time, the emotional impact produced by the content of the performance and the impact of being in the presence of performers who alter the physical and psychological atmosphere of a place. Mark captures these varied aspects in his work. To begin with, he draws upon his familiarity in capturing the human form to either exaggerate/attenuate body parts or to simplify them.
Apart from modifying anatomy, he uses tonality, composition and scale to draw attention to the expressions of the hand, face and body, create movement, and therefore evoke the experience of events unfolding across time and space. Furthermore, through stark backgrounds that make the image standout, abstract shapes or textures (as in the case of his woodcarvings) he creates focal points. This infuses a sense of drama to the image that is further heightened by the scale of his works. At ease with handling his chosen medium he often works on large formats. The result is artworks that have a strong presence in the space of the viewer.
