DAVID MACH AUTUMN 2013
GEIST
DAVI D MAC H R A GEISTGA L L E RIES.CO M
I N F O @ G E I S TG A L L E R I E S . C O M
DAVID MACH RA Often considered as the artist of immoderation, David Mach caught the public eye in the 1980’s with his colossal installations made out of manufactured products such as Polaris, a life-sized replica of a submarine made out of 6000 pile car tyres, the accurate copy of a RollsRoyce made out of 1,500 books or the 50 tons of piled magazines forming five massive classical columns positioned to appear to be holding the roof of the Brooklyn Museum. He is known for taking advantage of the aesthetics and the proliferation of every day materials and for introducing them into the inner circle of art, exposing the abuse of the consumer society with humour and irony. David Mach is a Scottish artist who was born in 1956 in Methil and who now works and lives in London. He studied at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design and then at the Royal College of Art in London in 1982. In 1992, he was nominated for the prestigious Turner Prize at the Tate Gallery in London. The works of David Mach are part of the most prestigious private and public collections such as The British Council of London or The Tate. In addition to his colossal art pieces, David Mach handles with remarkable talent much more delicate materials such as matchsticks, coat hangers, postcards or playing cards to assemble smaller-scale masterpieces. David Mach plays with art pieces which play with our illusions and pushes the viewer to look beyond appearances. He takes the observer away from reality so he can take a fresh look on his surroundings. He alters the trivial, diverts the industrial object from its function and just like a magician, he transforms it into a masterpiece. “I am addicted to repetition but I like exaggeration even better. Society forces us to an appropriate behaviour but art authorizes artists to extravagance and excesses”, says David Mach to sum up his art.
MAJOR EXHIBITIONS 2013
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition London, UK
2012
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition London, UK
2011
Precious Light, Edinburgh City Arts Centre
1999
The National Portrait, The Dome, London, UK
1998
A Nice Location, Kawasaki City Museum Tokyo, Japan
1997
Art That Came Apart, Musee D’Art Contemporain, Montreal, Canada
1997
The British Edge, Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, USA
1996
The Brick Train, Darlington, UK
1994
Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, USA
1993
Between the Lines, Hakone Open-Air Museum, Japan
1993
Ujazdowski Castle, Center for Contemporary Art, Warsaw, Poland
1991
Virtue and Vision, Royal Scottish Academy Edinburgh, Scotland
1998
New British Art, Tate Gallery, Liverpool, UK
POSITIONS & PRIZES 2006
Elected to the Board of The National Portrat Gallery
2004
Visiting Professor of Inspiration & Discovery, University of Dundee
2004
Made Honorary Member of the Royal Scottish Academy
2000
Appointed Professor of Sculpture, Royal Academy Schools, London
1999
Visiting Professor, Sculpture Department, Edinburgh College of Art
1998
Elected Member of the Royal Academy of Arts
1992
Won Lord Provost’s Award, RGI, Glasgow
1988
Nominated for the Turner Prize, Tate Gallery, London
1982
RCA Drawing Prize
POLARIS (1983) Southbank Centre, London
ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE (1987), Barcelona
LIKE A VIRGIN (1993) Ujazdowski Castle, Poland
HERE TO STAY (2000) Glasgow, Scotland
SILVER STREAK (2010) Royal Academy, London
DIE HARDER (2012) Southwark Cathedral, UK
BEAR IN MIND (2012) Coat Hanger Sculpture 180cm x 334cm x 216cm
SPIKE (2011) Coat Hanger Sculpture 90cm x 227cm x 70cm
BEAST (2013) Coat Hanger Sculpture 66cm x 40cm x 60cm
YELLOW LEOPARD (2013) Match Sculpture 21cm x 26cm x 21cm
KILLER INSTINCT (2013) Pin Sculpture 85cm x 62cm x 68cm
REMBRANDT (2013) Pin Work 110cm Diameter
MARILYN MONROE (2013) Pin Work 110cm Diameter
FLESH & BLOOD (2013) Pin Work 110cm Diameter
O.K.K.O. (2013) Postcard Collage 183cm x 183cm
FILTHY LOOKER (2013) Money & Postcard Collage 183cm x 183cm
VOODOO CHILE (2013) Postcard Collage 152cm x 152cm
FRIGHT NIGHT (2013) Postcard Collage 152cm x 152cm
GEISTGA L L E RIES.CO M