BIO / STATEMENT
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BIO
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Pat Marino, born in 1986 in Plainfield, New Jersey, is a Visual Artist. He has embarked on a career shaped by a profound appreciation for cultural diversity, exploration, and multimedia expression. His works can be found in many cities globally, such as Ningbo, Hangzhou, and Shanghai, China; Bali, Indonesia; Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago, USA; and Seoul, South Korea.
Graduating from The College of New Jersey in 2009, Marino's transformative experience in Florence, Italy in 2008 immersed him in its rich artistic heritage, vibrant culture, and European politics, profoundly influencing his voice and engendering a wanderlust that has broadened his cultural acumen.
In 2016, Marino relocated to Ningbo, Zhejiang, China, embracing the complexities of Chinese art and incorporating them into his own expressions. The Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020 disrupted his life in East Asia, displacing him from his home and ending his tenure, leading him to return to the United States, where he currently resides in the NYC and Finger Lakes regions of New York.
Despite the pandemic challenges, Marino adapted and found inspiration in his new-old surroundings, enrolling as a Studio Artist at Mana Contemporary in Jersey City, NJ in 2022, where his work flourished within the exceptional environment and support among fellow artists.
Reflecting on a fusion of diverse cultural influences, exploring the complexities of contemporary human existence, Marino aims to acknowledge social divides, provoke introspection and dialogue on its common tenets, and serve a communal representation through his art, encouraging viewers to dialogue on their own perspectives and narratives.
Marino's work is characterized by an unwavering curiosity about the world, a thirst for knowledge, and an inclination for visual storytelling that invites audiences to contemplate the intricacies of the modern human experience. His work explores the socialization of contemporary identity, namely in the following contexts: Its conception and projection of both the physical and digital world; the rapid expansion of intelligence and communication in human communities; globalism and its influence on physical and digital life; transcendental biology/sexuality; Theosophy; and the relationship between text, imagery, and silence as equal employments of knowledge, wisdom, critical thinking, and holistic expressionism.
ARTIST STATEMENT
In today's digital landscape, where optics influence policies and societal norms, our socialization becomes a curated spectacle on digital platforms. This pursuit of image control creates a virtual utopia devoid of imperfections, resulting in a dizzying visual experience.
My intention is not to conform to conventional notions of an aesthetic zeitgeist but to redefine it. Often referred to as ugly, my vision of refinement looks to transcend visual appeal, reflecting a humanly depth of authenticity, producing work that arises from rawness, a freedom from established norms of clarity and aesthetic unison, a pure expressionism; leave-in the errors, disproportions, inaccuracies, etc.
My work aims to evoke visceral and profound emotions, drawing from vulnerability and failure, as I believe that true refinement necessitates embracing the messy imperfections of the human aspects of creation.
My practice has evolved from strict abstraction to thematic and narrative-driven approaches influenced by the structures of my academic background: I’m a convert of the Textual Arts, transforming my perspective now into the visual realm. This shift reflects my embrace and employment of Semiotics as a form of dialogue.
Overall, my practice explores modern identity within various contexts, including our cohabitation of the physical and digital world, socio-economic relationships, and the impact of globalism. Themes in my work range from expatriate identity to the integration of technology in low-income communities, the interplay between Eastern and Western philosophies, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, contemporary interpersonal communication, and modern socio-political superficialities.