Maria Perry

The fluctuations between flatness and depth, abstraction and representation, the contrast between light and dark and the process of painting itself, all play important roles in my work. The city at night in particular holds great interest for me. The spectrum of coloured lights on a backdrop of darkness can create almost magical and ethereal images. Such images created as a consequence of the exposure of light on dark have had a strong influence in my work.
Although photography is used to record scenes from the city, it is simply a device through which to mediate between the reality and the painting. The painting is an extension and re-interpretation of the photograph.The source of light in my paintings is artificial, my aim is to create a sense of illumination and luminosity, which is the essence of these paintings. The light appears as many guises, as a mere residue on the surface of an object, as an emanation from the object, or as the substance of the painting itself.
Light has many connotations and fulfills many roles, in terms of function in a city environment. In the same way light performs different functions within my paintings. It is applied as a formal device, from which to create a pictorial tension through manipulat...

BA Hons Fine and Applied Arts, University of Ulster, Belfast

Solo Exhibitions
2006 BLACK BOX/ Belfast/ NI
2005 LYRIC THEATRE/ Belfast/ NI
2004 JOHN HEWITT BAR/ Belfast/ NI
2003 SAFE HOUSE ARTS SPACE/ Belfast/ NI
 
 
Group Exhibitions
2014 YARD GALLERY/Holywood/NI
2013 YARD GALLERY/Holywood/NI
2013 OSCAR & OSCAR/Belfast/NI
2012 MARINE HOTEL /Bangor/NI
2012 YARD GALLERY/Holywood/NI
2011 YARD GALLERY/Holywood/NI
2010 YARD GALLERY/Holywood/NI
2009 YARD GALLERY/Holywood/NI
2008 VENT COLLECTIVE/ Apartment Bar/ Belfast/ NI
2007 YARD GALLERY/Holywood/ NI
2006 YARD GALLERY/Holywood/ NI
2006 LANESIDE GALLERY/ Coleraine/ NI
2005 OGHAM GALLERY/ Belfast/ NI
2004 DISPLAY IT ART/ Armagh City Hotel/ NI
2004 OGHAM GALLERY/ Belfast/ NI
2004 HUGHES GALLERY/Lisburn Road/ NI
2004 124th ROYAL ULSTER ACADEMY EXHIBITION/ Ulster Museum/ Belfast, NI
2004 DISPLAY IT ART/ Wellington Par Hotel/ Belfast/ NI
2003 123rd ROYAL ULATER ACADEMY EXHIBITION/ Ulster Museum/ Belfast, NI
2003 SPIRES ART GALLERY/ Omagh/ NI