Marshall Harris
is an artist who looks closely at things for all of us. Regardless of subject matter, he invites and challenges you to see both what he sees and what you see for yourself. Most of his works are larger than life, just like the artist, and each is infused with an obsessive attention to detail, technique, quantity and quality. He is an innovator, a spiritual and rich thinker, and most compelling of all, he makes things. All kinds of things. From his hyperrealistic drawings that are complex and detailed, conjured up with graphite on Mylar, to the completely vacant and quiet emptiness of his Stripped Naked and Numbered sculpture series, Harris’s work proves to be black, white and everything between.
"The Problems with Space/Time for Astronauts and Artists, and how artists-in-residencies (AIRS) helps solve some of these challenges.... at least for artists. The biggest challenge that astronauts have for interstellar space exploration is space/time. It is the term that applies to the tremendous distances they need to travel and the time required to make those trips. Space is way too vast and it takes a very long time to get anywhere.
Artists have a similar but inverse struggle with space/time in that in their practice there is not enough space and too little time necessary to explore their creation universe. The Fort Works Art AIRS program helps soften these two issues for artists by offering a creative studio space along with ample support for their explorations.
Personally, I am honored and very happy to be the first Artist-in-Residence at Fort Works Art and the Gallery of Dreams Program. With this studio space and room to grow, my practice will accomplish a significant body of work that would be otherwise impossible to create. I can work on several creative projects simultaneously, all pointing toward a solo exhibition after a year’s involvement in the program."
Marshall Harris’ 1 year residency began September 1, 2018 and concluded September 2019. During this time, Harris was provided the space to focus on creating and working through a new body of work while allowing the community to observe and engage with a working artist. We are excited to announce that his residency will conclude with a solo exhibition featuring works he has created in his studio at Fort Works Art over the last year. Works will include Harris' comment on social media series or 5 works titled “This is what social media was before there was social media”, full scale versions of both negative and positives of “The Artist”, a highly detailed drawing of a custom made marksmanship riffle made for a Russian billionaire, and the original graphite on Mylar drawing over painted panel entitled “Jill with Elizabethan collar 57-16”.
