Raw Language : Karnik Gallery - 12 Hay Hill

28 March - 6 May 2022

Karnik Gallery is pleased to present Raw Language, a solo exhibition of new paintings by Marcus Dove. The show will open with a reception on Friday, March 25th from 6:00-9:00 PM and will be on view through May 6th 2022. This is the artist's second exhibition with the gallery.

Dove's new body of work created during the beginning of 2022 are symbolic of the languages of ancient civilisations, namely; Tamil and Sanskrit. His oeuvre offers a unique meeting point between visceral-organic shapes and geometric lines, which ultimately culminate to bring forth his own interpretation of the ancient scripts, in the visual form. The artist describes his compositions within the context of the exhibition title; where Raw encompasses the material element of the works ( e.g. linen, paper, and pyrotechnics) and where Language represents the pronunciation of different colours in these ancient languages.

Although, the artist's new series of works are within the same stylistic vein as previous pieces, they now further lend themselves to a subconscious flow-state. In previous works, the artists recalls adopting a more stringent creative practice and an almost predictable outcome, however, in Raw Language, Dove's creations were brought to life without a premeditated expectation for the composition of the pieces, but rather allowed himself to be influenced by the forever changing forms within the works. Ultimately, abandoning the pieces at a point where he felt as though they spoke to him and best represented the scriptures inside his conscious.

In Civappu, 2022, Dove presents a visceral interpretation of the Tamil word for 'red'. Tendril-like forms dominate the upper half of the painting as they emerge from the bubbling of crimson washes and radioactive oranges achieved with spray paint and gunpowder. There is an almost apocalyptic feel to this dynamic painting, which harkens back to a maxim by a major influence, Pablo Picasso, who believed that 'every act of creation begins with an act of destruction'. These elements of creation and destruction are seen throughout Dove's latest body of work, in paintings such as B'Vattan, 2022 and Nilam, 2022 there is a sense of tranquil, as if the havoc has settled. But in contrast, works such as Mancala, 2022 and Res, 2022 translate more chaotic scenes.

Marcus Dove's works have been exhibited at Karnik Gallery, London, UK; JD Malat Gallery, London, UK; Saatchi Gallery, London, UK; Asia Contemporary Art Fair, Hong Kong; and STUDIOnAme, Leicester, UK. Alongside, his creative practice, Dove teaches at Pedestrian, a charity which focuses on pioneering talent in young people at risk. He currently lives and works in Leicester, UK.