Often working with institutional (organic) or unwanted (dead) archives Harris’s paintings, collages, drawings, and prints draw upon the materiality of the ephemera and knowledge of the printed processes that enabled their journey to him via translation, reproduction, and dissemination.
Through the collection and utilisation of this material, Harris has explored the shared commonalities of language and methodology between the artist and the architect’s use of the process of collage. Seeing the book as an architectonic object led to several series exploring themes of utopian landscapes, and unrealised architectural schemes.
His more recent work references the hidden interconnecting structures, networks and systems found in the urban environment. These spaces are explored using multi-layered grids and apertures, reflecting the myriad of cut-throughs that frame our every viewpoint and epitomised in such buildings as Konstantin Melnikov’s House and Dieter Roth’s die-cut books and posters.
He has exhibited nationally and internationally with recent exhibitions and activities:
2019/2020 Artists in Residence at the London Library - with artist Bob Matthews
2017 Work Work - Co-curated exhibition, TinType Gallery, London
2016 Image Imminent - A Public Lecture at The Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia on the exhibition Proof: Francisco Goya, Sergei Eisenstein, Robert Longo
2015 Pro Patria - A Continuous Series - solo exhibition, De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill
2015 London Open - The Whitechapel Gallery
Mark Harris
Born 1971, Lives and works in London
Education
1996-98 Royal College of Art M.A Fine Art s
1990-93 Norwich School of Art B.A Hons Degree Fine Art
Selected Exhibitions and Activities
2020
The London Library, London
Exhibition of work made during Artist residency.
2019-2020
Artist in Residence at The London Library
A year-long inaugural residency, along with fellow artist Bob Matthews, at The London Library. Specifically looking at this world class literary collection through a purely visual lens.
We Are Publication t h e H O L D
Stanley Picker Gallery, Kingston
2018
Magma
Millimetre 02, Kingsgate Project Space, London
In the crescent of truth
Millimetre 02, Kingsgate Project Space, London
2017
Co-curated exhibition at Tintype Gallery, London
2016
Image Imminent - Public Lecture at Garage Museum for Contemporary Art
Invited by the Garage Museum for Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia to deliver a Public Lecture on the exhibition, Proof —Francisco Goya, Sergei Eisenstein and Robert Longo.
Abstract Apartment 2
Co-curated exhibition at Deborah House, Retreat Place, London
2015
Whitechapel Art Gallery, London
Pro Patria – a continuous series
Solo Exhibition, De La Warr Pavillion, Bexhill, UK
Abstract Apartment
C0-curated exhibition at Deborah House, Retreat Place, London
International Print Workshop
Gus Fisher Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
2014
Glue – Contemporary Collage and Photomontage
Chart Gallery, London
Against Nature – Printmare 1
Camberwell Space, London
2013
Once more unto the breach,
Lokaal01, Breda, Netherlands
3rd Xi’an International Print Show
Xian Academy Gallery, Xian, China
2012
Solo Award Show
WW Gallery, London
Bookmare
Camberwell, London
Stamp Duty
Scope, Arch 402 Gallery, New York
2011
Frontier Studies - solo exhibition
Galleria, Uno+Uno, Milan, Italy
Continuous Defense - solo exhibition
Museum Faraggiana Ferrandi, Novara, Italy
Together Alone
Hotel Mint in association with The Whitechapel Gallery, London
Sort of night to the Mind, A Kind of Night for our Thoughts
Illusion and Materiality in Contemporary Painting
Arch 402 Gallery, London
Artery Gallery Stuttgart, Germany
2010
State Your Business
LOKAAL01, Breda, Holland
2nd Xi’an International Print Show
Xian University, Xi’an, China
Urban Fragment – Imagining Architecture
Group Show part of London Festival of Architecture 2010, Collyer Bristow Gallery, London
Continuous Movement 2- solo exhibition
Stanley Picker Gallery at the Rose Theatre, Kingston
2009
Kaleid Editions, London
Continuous Movement – solo exhibition
Galleria Aus 18, Milan, Italy
Sort of night to the Mind, A Kind of Night for our Thoughts
Illusion and Materiality in Contemporary Painting
Herbert Read Gallery, Canterbury
Reg Perfect and the Squeegees
Portman Gallery, London
London loves the why things fall apart
6 British artists, Galleria Aus 18, Milan, Italy
2008
Wharf Road Projects, London
Scope Art Fair 2008
Lords, London
Space Now - 40th Anniversary Show
Space Gallery, London
2007
O Deborah
Contemporary Art Projects, London
Cell Projects, London
2006
Drawing Breath – 10 yrs of Jerwood Prize Winners
Jerwood Gallery, London and toured to Sydney and Singapore
World Gone Mad – Surrealism in Contemporary British Art
Herbert Read Gallery, Canterbury, Castlefield, Manchester, Limehouse Arts, London
2005
Space Open 2005
Space Triangle, London
Clutterin Colours, Roamin in Limbo
Keith Talent Gallery, London
2004
Print Retrospective – solo exhibition
Spitz Gallery, London
Tube-way Army
Keith Talent Gallery, London
2003
17 Reasons - Public Art project
Jack Hanley Gallery, San Francisco, USA
Series of public art interventions with John Baldessari, Jeremy Deller and Erwin Wurm
Taking Speed
1000000mph Project Space, London
Turpentine
Studio Voltaire, London
Collections
Deutsche Bank Collection
Tate Archive Collection
Victoria and Albert Museum
Royal College of Art Archives
Xi’an Academy Archives, China
Elam Archives, New Zealand