Mark Nader

Biography

Mark Nader is currently working as a Teaching Fellow in Art in the Department of Art, University of Reading , United Kingdom. Responsibilities: Studio Tutor, Workshops, Studio development Areas of Interest: As a contemporary painter I appropriate and subvert imagery drawn from historical sources to produce collage. This initially began as an exploration of a part of my heritage that is unknown to me: I am half Mexican and half British, yet I was brought up in the UK. Over the past decade, my practice has developed to encompass a broader accumulation of historical references and become an investigation into cultural acquisition. Early works displayed wild stereotypes and cultural ignorances as a result of haphazard reliance on internet research, gleefully critiquing a contemporary habit. The use of painting allows me a referential push and pull: intentionally subverting and misquoting the visual languages that the medium has accumulated across histories, cultures and techniques. With garish palettes and jarring interiors, these 'visual assaults' see magical realism navigate the digital, ancient Mexican codices meet emblems of early trade, and glyphic representations of Mesoamerica clash with the ideologies of 18th century British domestic art. A modern-day record is created with centuries' worth of data streamed into a painting. Education: 2004-2008 BA Fine Art: Central St Martins BA Hons Fine Art 2.1

Research Interest

Areas of Interest: As a contemporary painter I appropriate and subvert imagery drawn from historical sources to produce collage. This initially began as an exploration of a part of my heritage that is unknown to me: I am half Mexican and half British, yet I was brought up in the UK. Over the past decade, my practice has developed to encompass a broader accumulation of historical references and become an investigation into cultural acquisition.