New alt_space Exhibition in November October 16 2019
MARK SERRIANNE
Forgotten and Found:
Recovered Objects and the Stories They Tell
On View: November 2 - December 20, 2019
Opening Reception: Saturday, November 2, 4-7 PM
Artists Talk: Friday, November 8, 11 AM
About the Exhibition:
For his first solo exhibition at Arts on Douglas, Mark Serrianne will be presenting a body of new work. After a fulfilling career in advertising and communications, Serrianne now dedicates his time to sharing personal narratives through the medium of assemblage art. He notes, “A career in advertising, love for great design, primitive antiques and unusual found objects have all converged to form my creation of assemblages.” At the center of these creations lies Serrianne’s love of storytelling. In his exhibition statement, he elaborates: “I’ve always believed a story well-told is an art form and the work I do is all about storytelling-- bringing together objects and curiosities that create a little magic or carry a message that strikes a meaningful chord. I search for themes that connect, disrupt or evoke whimsy.”
To create his assemblages, salvaged components are often combined with pegged joinery and are drilled and screwed together. Forged and welded iron stands may also serve to cantilever, providing additional emphasis and energy. Beyond Serrianne’s craftmanship and attention to details, the artwork in this exhibition comes alive through the way he cleverly repurposes his materials. This can be seen in his piece La Victoire, in which he uses ping-pong balls to capture the weightlessness of balloons or the unique contrast of materials in Barb Wire Lick, that uses painted bundles of barbed wire as a stand in for ice cream, set in a vintage horn cone with a wooden cherry on top.
It takes a delicate mix of planning and fortuity to bring each of Serrianne’s assemblages to fruition. In some instances, a concept will fuel the search for object pairings, while at other times, a newly discovered object may be catalyst for a new idea. After a piece is completed, Serrianne then takes some time to reflect, stating, “I live with my sculptures for a while before sharing them. They must pass the torture test of long stares.”
As a whole, Serrianne has successfully given new life and meaning to an eclectic mix of objects and materials through his art practice. While the assemblages in Serrianne’s exhibition Forgotten and Found take on a range of themes, his inventive spirit shines through in each and every one.
About the Artist
After a childhood in Niagara Falls, N.Y., Mark received a B.S. Advertising Design degree from the College of Design, Architecture and Art at the University of Cincinnati. His communications career began in public affairs with the U.S. Army, serving in public affairs as a press liaison in Vietnam during repatriation of our prisoners of war, and later with the Army’s Advertising Directorate.
Returning home, he joined Northlich in Cincinnati, becoming President/CEO in 1997 and helping grow it to one the nation’s Top 100 advertising and communications firms. Among their clients: Procter and Gamble, Sara Lee Corporation, Speedo International, Starkist, Finlandia Vodka, Yum Brands and Jacuzzi.
His career is full of volunteerism for the arts, the Boy Scouts of America, and serving on the boards of a major hospital, university and others.
Mark now dedicates his time to his lifelong passion for art through the creation of his sculptural assemblages. In 2017 and 2019, Serrianne’s work was exhibited in the American Craft Council Show, a national juried exhibition in Baltimore, Maryland. Serrianne is represented by Cincinnati Art Galleries, LLC. and has been represented by Arts on Douglas since March of 2019. He resides in Mount Dora, Florida.
Images:
Top: Mark Serrianne, Feathered Muse, mixed-media assemblage, 17 x 7 x 13 inches
Bottom (Left): Mark Serrianne, Barb Wire Lick, mixed-media: varied barb wire, cardboard cone horn, antique brass picture wire, wood foundry stand, glass dome, 10.5 x 16.5 x 10.5 inches
Bottom (Right): Mark Serrianne, La Victoire, mixed-media: antique French training typewriter, lead French soldier, ping pong ball balloons, iron stand,16 x 10 x 5 inches