Marianne Le Gallo

There is a perceived duality between sensory & intellectual aspects of human life. I'm interested in this duality and how it has been gendered historically. Most of my work sits somewhere between figuration and abstraction. I'm interested in the connection between intellectual & manual activity & societal values (often hierarchical) placed on those activities.

Part of my practice involves superimposing automatic monochrome ballpoint drawings with colour photographs of landscapes in order to yield new, fused images, which can be ‘read’ in different ways.

Gradients of light/tone are central to my work in different mediums.

A preoccupation with shining light through composite images led me to think about projecting light through printed glass or cast glass objects. I've mostly used recycled glass in the process.

There's a significant amount of waste in the production of fine art objects, using environmentally unfriendly materials. I tend to use materials which can be recycled/reused/repurposed (glass, bronze, wool, pre-made objects). Failing that, I think about the shelf life of the objects I produce. Currently, I am mostly using clay.

I am also interested in questioning boundaries between art/craft/design. Context & functionality often determines an object’s place. Mostly to do with functionality/lack thereof, materials used and presentational space.

Things can be a manifestation of cultural brassage, complex thoughts/feelings and identities. They can therefore straddle traditional object type boundaries.