12 December 2024 - 15 January 2025
Sympathy for the Mahogany
Marionne Contreras
A presentation that navigates between exhibition and poetry, Marionne Contreras’ "Sympathy for the Mahogany" started by observing the Mahogany existing in places where she had recently been. Historically imported to plantations in Asia brought by colonialism, Contreras thought about societal expectations on organisms and life to thrive even in foreign and unfamiliar territories. Such thoughts extend to her exploration of cultural constructions of power, the female identity, and other similar concerns.
In her practice, Marionne Contreras (b.1992) often explores themes of memory and primarily works with fabric, addressing notions of societal conformity and power. She has been featured in exhibitions at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Silverlens, MO Space, and Artinformal. She completed the Southeast Asian Artist Residency at the Rimbun Dahan centre in Malaysia in 2023. “Sympathy for the Mahogany” is her first solo exhibition with MONO8.
Selected Works from Sympathy for the Mahogany
Marionne Contreras, Northern Star, 2024, Yarn, carpet backing fabric, mounted on wood, 54 3/4 x 82 5/8 in (139 x 210 cm) (MACO006)
Marionne Contreras, To Divine Is Human 2, 2024, Found twig, eco print, natural dye and synthetic dye on cotton fabric, yarn, thread, stone beads, glass beads, mother of pearl beads, metal bells, mounted on wood with polyfiber batting, and eco print and rust on cotton fabric, 20 1/8 x 14 3/8 in (51.25 x 36.5 cm) (MACO003)
Marionne Contreras, To Divine Is Human 3, 2024, Found twig, eco print, natural dye and synthetic dye on cotton fabric, yarn, thread, stone beads, glass beads, mother of pearl beads, metal bells, mounted on wood with polyfiber batting, and eco print and rust on cotton fabric, 20 1/8 x 14 3/8 in (51.25 x 36.5 cm) (MACO004)
Marionne Contreras, To Divine Is Human 1, 2024, Found twig, eco print, natural dye and synthetic dye on cotton fabric, yarn, thread, stone beads, glass beads, mother of pearl beads, metal bells, mounted on wood with polyfiber batting, and eco print and rust on cotton fabric, 20 1/8 x 14 3/8 in (51.25 x 36.5 cm) (MACO002)
Marionne Contreras, How Much Space Should I Take Up For You To See Me, 2024, Cotton thread embroidery on eco print on cotton fabric, 54 3/8 x 54 in (138 x 137 cm) (MACO005)
