Artist Spotlight: Megan Rooney
APRIL 29TH, 2024
This week, we’re highlighting a female artist who is making waves at Frieze New York 2024.
Individuals familiar with Megan Rooney will easily identify the vibrant explosions of color that characterize her work. Rooney's creative process is driven by intuition and rooted in a deep connection to her environment. Her paintings reflect the visceral experiences of her daily life, influenced by the ever-changing landscapes and seasonal rhythms. Utilizing acrylics, oils, and pastels, Rooney's canvases exude a profound vitality, evoking organic shapes reminiscent of blossoms drifting on water or clouds adrift in a sunset sky.
Rooney primarily creates large-scale abstract paintings, renowned for her utilization of secondary colors and her unconventional method of using an orbital grinder on her canvases. However, these accolades fail to capture the depth and complexity of her creations. Furthermore, the inability of photography to accurately reproduce the colors further adds to the mystique of Rooney's works.
Employing abrasive techniques to remove pigment, Rooney's artistic process resembles excavation as much as painting. It's akin to the masons' notion of "freeing" a trapped image from stone rather than inventing it. Each stroke, each subtraction, is a meticulous curation of possibilities, akin to sifting through countless paintings until the final one emerges—a painting bearing the essence of its discarded alternatives. This subtractive approach echoes printmaking and sculpting, a natural evolution from Rooney's earlier ventures into etchings and intaglio prints. Each canvas becomes imbued with a complexity reminiscent of a realistic novel, shaped by the artist's relentless manipulation and refinement. Rooney's devotion to her craft transcends mere creation; each canvas becomes a repository of her time and attention, assuming a semblance of personhood.
Megan Rooney's art stands as a testament to the enduring power of creativity and expression. She invites us to see the world through new eyes and imagine new possibilities through color and form. In a world that often seems chaotic and uncertain, her art offers a beacon of light.
