Marco Wagner (1982)is a narrative painter from Germany who reveals his childhood fears and insecurity in each composition. His backdrops often reflect the duality of nature vs. the industrial factory, beast vs. man, ancient myth vs. popular culture and on.
Marco has been featured in multiple exhibitions, Survey Select, Lucid Dreams, SuperHero and a few trips to art fairs held during Miami Art Basel. I caught up with Marco Wagner to discuss a bit more about his new series of paintings and works on paper.
mM : What are some of the new themes you are exploring in your work for the new year?
Marco : Well, I am going to continue my “domov” series. “Domov” means “Homeland” and that’s what has inspired me over the past two years now. Last year I incorporated portraits of people, animals and cultural traditions. This year I want to focus more on the countryside, landscapes and the villages found within these areas. They feature unique traditions and cultures, and I find myself incorporating more of these stories and symbols in my work.
mM : Talk about your process. Where do you find inspiration for your new body of work?
Marco : A big part of my inspiration are my personal memories, feelings from my childhood growing up in a small bavarian village. But as I still live close to the countryside I take every chance to study my environment, nature, and the people and traditions of every day. I also find inspiration in the stories and old photographic collections of my grandmother :-)
mM : How would you describe your work? Is there historical reference in the world of painting that you find inspiration from?
Marco : Basically I think it´s traditional, realistic and narrative with a surreal touch. At the moment I am more inspired by photographs from the 50s till 80s, more than painters. I love the aesthetics of colored black and white photographs!
Kind thanks to Marco Wagner. For additional reading please visit Marco Wagner at Art Basel.