Master of Fine Arts (MFA) |

Chasing the light

Marion Landry

See it On Campus: Level 2

Located in the Libby Leshgold Gallery, S-E corner by the windows.

Chasing the Light #6 and #7, 2023, oil on canvas. In Biophysicalmateria, MFA 2023 Thesis Exhibition, ECU March – April, 2023.

Artist statement

Marion Landry’s work is grounded in a phenomenological approach, which emphasizes an embodied experience through the process of painting. By incorporating the concept of the expanded field of painting into her practice, Landry creates site-adjusted installations that utilize light, temperature, and traditional painting techniques to create immersive experiences.

Her geometrical compositions draw upon iconic optical strategies, such as chromatic vibrations, hard-edged forms, and geometrical composition, positioning her work in dialogue with, but not defined by, the tenets of Modernist abstract. These echoes aim to open possibilities for exploring and interrogating the potentialities of abstraction today.

Landry’s work aims to examine the relationship between the viewer, the artwork, and the space in which it is presented, gaining insights into the ways in which she can use this relationship to create a dynamic experience for the viewer.

Chasing the light | Painting series

Chasing the Light #6 and #7 are part of a series of the same name and were exhibited in the Michael O’Brian Exhibition Commons for the Biophysicalmateria MFA 2023 Thesis Exhibition.

For this exhibition the paintings were displayed as part of a site-adjusted installation that used light, temperature, and traditional painting techniques to create an immersive experience for viewers, examining how the context of viewing affects perception and can potentially trigger self-awareness through embodied experience. The site-adjusted installation was available to the public on March 30th , 2023 and comprised of an light intervention located at the entrance of the campus titled Perceptual Transition, a complete lighting adjustment to the MOEC lighting system, a soundless media installation in the Rennie Hall titled A sequence of time and two large scale paintings.

My inspiration for the painting series came from the deep blues and greens of the Burrard Inlet, which I observed during my summer bike rides to school. I sought to capture the interplay of light and shadow on its surface through a phenomenological approach that investigated the experience of art. To create an illusion of light and space intrinsic to the artwork that could still become activated by the Exhibition Commons’ varying lighting conditions, I revisited the rhombus shape pattern used in my previous work titled Diamond Dust. As winter approached, the deep blue of the water observed during the summer months merged with the cold blues of snow I experienced during my cross-country skiing evenings, leading me to experiment for this series of paintings with an overlapping grid pattern for my rhombus composition, suggesting a shift in a new direction.

I displayed the large-scale paintings on an adjacent corner wall separated by a main corridor, allowing viewers to experience the artwork from different distances and angles. The careful use of matte and glossy finishes captivated the eye, shimmering as viewers approached the painting, creating a dynamic viewing experience that encouraged them to spend more time with the work, exploring its subtle nuances.

Through the Chasing the Light series and site-adjusted installation, I aimed to examine the relationship between painting, embodied experiences, and the built environment, while continuing to explore the expanded field of painting.

Chasing the light # 6

Marion Landry, Chasing the light #6, 2023, 60 x 50”, oil on canvas.

Close up, angled view of Chasing the light #6, 2023. These images showcases the glossy and matte finishes of the painting in detail, as well as the variation in color that becomes apparent when viewed up close or at different angles.

Chasing the light #7

Wide angle view of Chasing the light #7, 2023. On display at the Michael O’Brian Exhibition Commons at ECU as part of the MFA 2023 Thesis Exhibition titled Biometaphysicalmateria.

Marion Landry, Chasing the light #7, 2023, 60 x 50”, oil on canvas.

A detail of the line drawing of Chasing the light #7, 2023. The second image showcases the glossy and matte finishes of the painting in detail, as well as the variation in color that becomes apparent when viewed up close.

Lighting adjustment | MOEC lighting system

To enhance the viewing experience, I implemented a complete relighting of the MOEC, building upon my light-focused research in the expanded field of painting. By reducing the light intensity from the ceiling light and creating uneven light distribution through the use of track lighting, I aimed to create an immersive and engaging experience for viewers. My goal in relighting the MOEC was to reconfigure the viewers’ haptic response to the exhibition space’s architecture, enhancing the sense of materiality, texture, weight, density of space, and materialized light.

Perceptual Transition

Light intervention titled Perceptual Transition was located at the entrance of the ECU campus on March 30th, 2023. It was created with the use of LED tube lights, light stands and sandbags, scrim material, as well as blackout fabric.

A sequence of time

The artist adjusted the Rennie Hall for the evening of March 30th, 3:30 to 11pm to feature a soundless installation in which a series of stop-motion videos played on a loop throughout the evening. The regular hall furniture was repositioned to the north side, creating space for the installation of a large dark grey rug and a suite of four school loungers. Near the entrance, a beverage station was set up, featuring a percolator illuminated by a warm white book light. Guests were able to enjoy self-served hot herbal tea with a blend of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves, while utilizing compostable and biodegradable cups.

A sequence of time, stop-motion videos recorded and edited by Marion Landry

Chasing the light | The painting series

This next section provides a comprehensive list of the paintings that currently part of the series titled Chasing the Light. As of April 2023, the series consists of 8 paintings. Additionally, there are nine more paintings currently in production that will soon be added to finalize and complete this series.