marcus
clarke

Exhibitions and Hangings.
2020 Selected to Stage1. Visual Art Open.
2019 Selected to Stage1. Visual Art Open.
2017 Pre-Selected Mall Gallery. Royal Society of Marine Artists. Title Faded Beach Hut.
2017 Fisher-Patterson Gallery Gt.Yarmouth, MO Sheringham Museum. RSM Sheringham Art Exhibition - Refreshing Seaside Memories. More
2017 Floor One Gallery Nottingham RSM Sheringham Art Exhibition - Refreshing Seaside Memories.
2015 First Floor Gallery Central Library, Nottingham. The DogHorseCoat Art Exhibition and Homeless in the Puppetised City. More
2015 Surface Gallery International Postcard Show. Two works. Naval rule and Poster.
2014 The National Open Art Competition 2014 Shortlisted
2014 Homeless in the Puppetised City Art Exhibition One man show Nottingham. 13x works and Video more
2014 Surface Gallery International Postcard Show 1xPostcard Work
2013 Surface Gallery International Postcard Show 1xPostcard Work
2012 FAB Fringe Arts Bath 2012. Mis-in-Formation. 3x works exhibited. Curator Diane Ali
2011 Nottingham Castle Gallery Annual Open 2011 1x Intervention and 1x exhibited work plus Video Film made.  
2011 Surface Gallery Nottingham 'Salon des Refuse's' 2x works exhibited.
2010 4 Puppetised Jackets Project and Art Exhibition. Broad Marsh Centre. more

Artistic Statement: 

From Fine Art to Professional Puppetry and back again. It started as a visual exploration of apophenia, pareidolia and loss in non psychotic style using a skilled craftsman and performers puppetry toolbox. It developed into a unique arts practice. Marcus Clarke is sometimes described as a 'Flippant Dadaist' due to his use of irreverence. It’s something he finds relevant and amusing but it’s not the whole story. His Arts Practice is driven by a deep sense of personal loss and realized through a combination of conventional Fine Art techniques allied to all that he has learned in a substantive professional career in Puppetry. Both as a Maker and a Performer. Making it quite unique to him. It's an Arts Practice he’s tried to describe and reason to himself as PuppetTVGraffiti utilizing Puppetisation. The irreverence then is little more than a nervous laugh.

He says: "I started out wanting to be a Fine Artist, studied art, (Mansfield College of Art) in the 70’s where I childishly told stories and painted faces on scrap household appliances and auto parts. Afterwards I went to work in Theatre Lighting before becoming a Puppeteer and Puppet Maker. In 2008 I returned to my Art Practice taking cues from former mentor Jim Henson’s artwork, The NBC Pipes. Inspired by Ron Mueck who was creating Contemporary Art using Puppetry craft skills. I started making Pictures and Sculptural Collages using Puppet Making materials. Over the last ten years I have created a variety of artworks that are collections of objects and materials, including found objects, plastic, paint, glass, gold leaf, foam, puppet eyes, faux fur, dolls and old jewellery all glued, resin bound or vacuum sealed together in Assemblage style. They’ve become ever more complex though lately works are simpler and more painterly. Subject matter is loss. Often combined with character and emotion explored by referencing things vested with life and memory. Icons, Religious Objects, Keepsakes, Childhood Toys, Fairy Stories and the Seaside. Works vary from the deeply personal to the flippant. My art has developed over a succession of solo art exhibitions. I'm trying to resolve it all but yes you could say, I’m still mostly just telling stories and putting faces on things".