Mike Maguire

Artist Statement

In my artwork, I research and produce mythical figures using a variety of materials, designs and surface treatments to envision contemporary objects. I construct contemporary figurative sculptures visually rooted in the prehistoric and medieval imagery of Ireland. The rough and often crude, weathered forms, of these ancient icons, helps me respond to basic, powerful archetypal forms and patterns that emanate from the gut or the unconscious, rather than from a “focus group” or marketing survey. The boundary in perception between the abstract and the figurative also interests me, and the personification of objects is a common thread of investigation in my objects. The ability of artisans from earlier times to make incredible artwork without elaborate mechanisms and systems is impressive. The resourcefulness of those makers and the expedient immediacy of their work challenge me to seek a more direct, simple route to produce my own work. I explore different fabrication methods and combinations of materials to find the most appropriate approach to convey my ideas.

-- Mike Maguire