Nails On The Brain

NAILS ON THE BRAIN

THE PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES OF

MARCUS LEVINE

All text and images Copyright Š Marcus Levine 2011 All rights reserved. www.levine-art.co.uk All our rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the author.

Printed in the UK by S S Media Ltd

NAILS ON THE BRAIN THE PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES OF

MARCUS LEVINE

Marcus Levine was born at St James hospital in Leeds on June 29th 1965. He was educated at Fulneck School for Boys and left with four A levels. He was accepted at Jacob Kramer Art College alongside Damien Hirst. Previous alumni include David Hockney and both Hirst and Hockney have been an inspiration to Levine. Afterwards Levine went on to study Scientific and Technical Graphics, a four year Bachelor of Arts degree at Falmouth School of Art and design. During his third year Levine found placement at Harlech Television HTV Bristol as a TV designer and self taught himself the newly arrived Quantel Paintbox, a sophisticated graphics computer which was used to create the animated scenes in the Avatar motion picture.

After finishing his degree Levine went on to spend just over a year with HTV Bristol before finally being persuaded by his Father to join the growing family business, selling used printing machines. He joined as Marketing and Sales director, and in the years that followed, travelled the world on business. His plan was to make enough money to leave the business and focus on becoming a Sculptor and artist.

In 1989 Levine met a Hungarian girl by the name of Krisztina Maria Somodi who was studying at Bradford University as part of her placement abroad, studying Russian and English at Eger University in Hungary. Krisztina would later feature in many of his sculptures and paintings.

They married in 1990. During this period he concentrated on sketches, water colours, acrylic Portraits, and landscape photography. Levine was reluctant to sell his work through this period. Not needing the money, the work began to accumulate around his home.

Exhibition – Radisson SAS Leeds, 2007

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Ultrasound

Big Bang

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In 2004 he bought a property in Budapest. This would be the turning point and the catalyst which finally helped him to stop procrastinating about making the move away from the family business and into the world of Art. He fully refurbished the apartment. Painting all the 4.5m high walls white, his plan was to turn it into a place to exhibit the contemporary work he had harboured inside for so long.

Whilst still an art student he had considered creating abstracts from nails but the idea seemed too difficult.

Now years later he attempted his first nail sculpture. At first it was going to be abstract but then last minute he changed his mind to figurative.

Levine explains that “the interplay between the rigid, angular nails and the soft curves of the human torso, would be more striking”.

Levine’s ability to capture the curvilinear nature of the human body with such an inflexible object is intensely represented. He creates figures which are beautifully muscular yet wonderfully delicate, and it is clear that the artist has an innate grasp of the human shape.

Light also plays an integral role in Levine’s work, as “from morning sun to evening sun the shadows across the sculptures can appear as light as a pencil or as dark as a charcoal still life.”

Exhibition – Air Gallery, London, September 2010

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His latest clout nail sculptures introduce the sense of touch to his work and allow visually impaired and sighted people to experience the undulation and curvature of the nails as they twist, raise and fall along the length of the aluminium panel which they are driven into.

Since completing his first “nail sculpture” in autumn of 2004, Levine has perfected his technique, pushing the boundaries with each new work and creating increasingly dynamic interpretations of an object notoriously difficult to depict. It was Picasso who once said “All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.” The many years in business should have

Exhibition – Gallery 27, Cork St, London, March 2010 7

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ground Levine down, but the very act of giving everything up seems to have freed the tethered mind of the artist and he has returned to an age of experimentation and freedom.

Most of Levine’s recent painting is a direct result of experimenting and heavily influenced by such artists as Jackson Pollock, Levine says of his still life paintings. “I am constantly looking at ways to free myself. I have a tendency to try to paint a photo so by creating a technique that prevents me from doing that, I create something new and unique.

I never thought I would paint still life but the type of paint I use and painting onto aluminium is very stimulating. I have to accept that the final result although controlled has a life of its own.”

His current work in paint, includes, Yin Yang drip painting, Indian ink painting, Dry powder paint painting, still life drizzle painting, and splash paintings.

Sculptural work includes Wire wool sculptures, Whiskey and matchbox sculpture, whiskey bottle sculpture and nail sculptures, sub categories are, cabinet nail figurative and non representational, clout nail, floor brad and stainless steel nails.

With so many diverse interests it is difficult to categorize this sculptor into anyone group. The sculptor himself will not be drawn into categorizing himself.

If anything when drawn on his ideas for future work, it would seem that he plans to expand an ever growing diversity of interests.

Including sculptural furniture, and light sculpture.

At the time of going to print Levine was working on a combined exhibition for the visually impaired and the sighted and also a large outdoor nail sculpture in Stainless Steel to be displayed at Bradford’s Cartwright Hall called Sculpture in the Park a public exhibition which will run for six months.

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Morphing Nudes Series 1

Elemental - Fire

Elemental - Earth

Elemental - Air 10

Morphing Nudes Series 2

Elemental - Fire

Elemental - Earth

Elemental - Air 11

Burgundy Lillies 12

Carnations

Golden Lillies

White Lillies 13

Indian Ink Paintings

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Scattered Powder Paint

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The Eye Study I

David’s Children

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Olga Study 2

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Tomas Study 4

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Exhibition – The Air Gallery, London, September 2010

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Whisky Bottle sculpture

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Whisky and Matchboxes

Whisky Bottle sculpture 2

Wire Wool sculpture

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Splash 2

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Splash 1

List of works by page: 1 Olga Study 1 5 Ultrasound, Big Bang 8 Clout Nail Study 1 10 Morphing Nudes Series 1 Elemental - Earth, Elemental - Fire, Elemental - Air 11 Morphing Nudes Series 2 Elemental - Fire, Elemental - Air, Elemental - Earth 12 Burgundy Lillies Carnations 13 Golden Lillies White Lillies 14 Indian Ink Paintings Study III, RHS Study IV 15 Scattered Powder Paint Earth Study II 17 David’s Children The Eye Study I 18 Krisztina study I, Kate Study I, Self Portrait “Man swimming”, Yin Yang Triptych 20 Olga study II 21 Kate Study III 23 Petra Study I 24 Krisztina Study III 26 Whisky Bottle sculpture Whisky and Matchboxes 27 Whisky Bottle sculpture 2 Wire Wool sculpture 28 Splash 2 Splash 1 - in situ* 29 Blue Moon *Splash 1 is hanging on the outside wall of the Finite Gallery in Leeds where the scupltor displays most of his work when not exhibiting in London.

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NAILS ON THE BRAIN

THE PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES OF MARCUS LEVINE

www.levine-art.co.uk