ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
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MARK PENNER-HOWELL by Tracy Tomko
MARK PENNER-HOWELL recently unveiled a small grouping of paintings at Walker Fine Art, his new representation in Denver. This body of work focuses on desire and our attitudes to manipulate “the universe” to any extent that we can on our behalf. Referencing attempts toward pleasure through things such as wealth, sex, drugs, and tranquillity, he comments on human recklessness and naiveté, hinting at temptations that we are faced with along the way in our efforts to rise to the top or attain our goals. “Whether we’re looking to relationships or some new app, we try to find shortcuts to getting what we want”, said Penner-Howell. Recognizing a strong tradition of this in human nature, he’s investigated methods such as Tarot, Astrology, and alchemy. “In this series of paintings, I'm exploring the darker aspects of desire and attachment via the four classical "root" elements: earth, air, fire and water,” says the artist. “The choice to use an arcane and outmoded thought-construct as a thematic overlay seemed a natural fit with the murky psychological territory of human desire. These paintings are an exercise in free-associating familiar but unexpected images in an attempt to illuminate enigmatic matters of the heart. The noir overtones are meant to heighten a sense of uncertainty. Themes of longing, vulnerability, and entanglement pervade.” In Lotus Soup (see opposite page) there is an obvious carryover from his
last body of work that commented on the economy. Juxtaposing cultural references with symbolism that can lead to conflicting conclusions is some of what keeps the viewer so intrigued to continue to look through the layers with which Penner-Howell is known for presenting us. Take the lotus, being such a
strong Eastern image; mix with literary allusions and overlay something heavily laden with meanings in the Western world, like the Great Seal; then charge it all up with electric color compositions. You will still only have pieces of the recipe for what Mark served up so deliciously at the Walker Fine Art exhibition. Those who enjoyed his past work will find themselves being teased into a new frenzy over possible outcomes to
the narratives he proposes. While he has started with some of the same types of signature elements — open mouths, eyes or faces that are cropped out of the images, or iconic symbols put to new use — these paintings feel like they are filled with the loaded sense of the potential of youth. They seem more openended (like our desires) in that, as they unfold, we are unaware as to whether outcomes will lead us to heavenly bliss or pandemonium. His works are layered in a way that takes you on a journey as you’re peeling them. Like a visual pied piper, he leads us with large doses of ambiguity and irony. We are looking in before there is an aftermath or wake to be considered, and the only fear is in the form of anticipation. Are the subjects of the paintings even aware of the dangers? Penner-Howell says, “I’ve always had more questions than answers. I’m really interested in ‘memes’ — ideas that have the ability to replicate themselves in different forms and have a life of their own. But they get mutated and transformed as they move away from their source. That’s what the ‘mash-up’ creative approach is all about, and I like how rich it can be. I want to try to achieve a kind of conversational quality in my work.” Mark Penner-Howell’s latest exhibition was featured at Walker Fine Art from Sept 16 through Nov 5. For more information, please visit walkerfineart. com and pennerhowell.com