As an artist, Mark Prime is not concerned with the smooth, industrial finish, but with the rhythm of his hand and the density, opacity and translucency achieved by layering the paint. For Fluidity 11, 12And 13 (all works cited 2023), he applies brilliant yellow technical ink in broad vertical strokes on aluminum panels. Where the layers thin out, we see a glow from the metallic surface.
For the “Native Mother Tongue” exhibition, the artist works with limited materials: shiny pigments, metal and various objects, mostly made of wood, that he found along the beach of Alibaug. The arrangement of these apparently disparate elements is presented as a scenography. Prime uses color to bind, hold or extend the meaning of found objects. For example, in an untitled sculpture, we see three wooden planks covered in orange, yellow, and blue paint, respectively. They are arranged on the ground like steps, with a spherical buoy resting at one end. For another untitled piece, a circular black dial precariously balanced on the tapered edge of a wedge of driftwood that has been painted a burnt orange. The object seems solid and heavy, like a rock, but on closer inspection, we realize that it is only a piece of foam.
Prime’s artistic practice borrows in many ways from principles of his earlier life as a musician; he invests in the development of rhythms and the search for harmony through the use of texture and composition. There is a lightness in his work, stemming from his nuances., understanding of his materials, his mastery of formal structure and a refreshing dose of cunning.
