marceline mason at m contemporary
Lumen Naturae
“In this work I am exploring the psychological terrain of nocturnal landscapes, using natural forms as mirrors for inner states of mind. Drawing on Jungian archetypes, I treat each panel as a site of ritual, a visual “spell” composed of light, flora, and the elements. Central to this work is the Lumen Naturae, or the “light of nature,” this light rarely mimics the sun. Instead, it manifests as verdant glows and elemental flashes that emanate from within the landscape itself. These unnatural light sources symbolize the inner brilliance of the unconscious mind. This light serves as a bridge between our awareness of the external world and our internal sense of being, creating a threshold where the material and psychological realms coexist.” –Marceline Mason
Mason accesses the mysteries of self and the night in her translucent, moody landscapes. Absent of the sun’s brilliant light, water that ripples and roils during the day transforms to preternatural in moonlight. The swirling froth presents touches of frosted greens escaping monochrome. An off-center trio of swans soundlessly glide across a pitch backdrop just barely indicating a stony, treelined shore.
Luminosity emerges to reveal luxurious cloud cover gently migrating across a vibrant, rich sky. Water churns through a rocky maze pulling progressively lighter greens to the foreground and highlighting slender, bare branches reaching for the magnetic moon.
Hydrangeas and tulips appear to glow in these highly saturated renderings. Tulips have closed against the cool air while distant daffodils preserve their posture. A solitary dusky rose sits unperturbed in its lush environment affording the only disruption in palette. Blackened heavy blues arrive in the enigmatic distance laden with secrets and curiosity. Oil paint’s lustrous surface contributes to the magical quality of the imagery.
The blooming plant sits so close to the viewer it creates engaging depth perception. Stems breach the horizon line piercing the inky indigo ether. Mason comments, “Chicory typically only opens in sunlight, in my piece Chicory in the Night Rapids, it is blooming in the moonlight instead.”
In a departure from the shadowy mystical pictures, early light laced with the sun’s yellows aspires to cast off the night’s chilly hold. Racing water calms while a weeping willow and companion ferns anticipate the coming day.
Once a year, Bali observes a mandatory 24-hour shutdown for Nyepi, a sacred Hindu Day of Silence. The island stops completely. No traffic, no work, no internet. Everyone, including tourists, stays indoors with no lights permitted at night. This off-the-grid period is meant to trick evil spirits into thinking the island is empty and pass over. It creates an ecological breather while the quiet lends to self-reflection often deafened by the cacophony of normal daily life. Mason conjures a kindred experience in hushed scenes where nature’s symphony of cascading waterfalls and soft wings soothe and refresh a weary soul.
On view through March 14th at M Contemporary 205 E Nine Mile, Ferndale
*all images are courtesy of the gallery photographed by CJ Benninger
direct quote from gallery materials
Real Art Detroit is a reader-supported independent publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Thank you!
FRIENDS OF DETROIT ART
Wayne County Community College Art Gallery
SHOWS Of INTEREST THIS WEEK
For full gallery listings subscribe to Art Detroit Now
Adored these pieces! what a challenge to convey the appropriate lighting, and what a curious move with the chicory. Loved this