Martin, Mary
This small, square relief is made primarily from polystyrene, with various mirrored edges that project upwards at 45 degree angles from the base. The mirrors reflect both the surroundings in which the object is placed, and the other mirrored and polystyrene surfaces of the piece itself. The repeated images seen in the mirrors give the relief a greater depth of field than those of the simple polystyrene shapes that support them.
Starting out initially as a landscape painter, Martin moved towards abstract painting in the 1940’s, and eventually started to make free standing structures in the 1950’s and 60’s. She worked with paint, wood and steel among other materials to produce constructed abstract forms. Martin also worked largely with reliefs, using raised areas based on a flat surface to create depth, shadow and the impression of movement. From 1951-56, she used only black, white and grey in her work, and introduced colour in later years. Mary Martin appreciated the simplicity and organic quality of ordered sequences, and was influenced by architects and designers.
- Artwork Details: 9 x 13 x 13cm
- Edition:
- Material description: polystyrene and mirror
- Credit line: © The Estate of the Artist
- Theme:
- Medium: Multiple
- Accession number: PR 163