William Mackrell | Swarm: Andipa, London

Andipa presents 'Swarm' by British artist William Mackrell in his second solo exhibition with the gallery.

The installation of wall works begins from an ant size view of being in someone’s hair, shot close up on areas of the head that cannot be viewed directly from the Self. Mackrell then cuts into the images, removing each hair line by line from the photographic emulsion. The accumulative layers of scratching create an optical depth that lends the surfaces their sculptural presence.

Circling the gallery, images move from everyday moments of waiting in queues and walking behind strangers to intimate and personal studies that employ the possibilities of the camera lens to disorientate where an image might begin or end.

The ritualistic and devotional intensity in the show resonates from the obsessive and meticulous application of his mark making. Mackrell finds in this repetitive and formulaic process, a solitary space that he speaks of “becoming something of a meditative exercise”.

In the floor-based works we see an explosive release from the tightness of the wall works. Imposer shows a large wig poised looming over a smaller wig in the corner of the gallery. In this new series of sculptures, Mackrell continues to weave a dialogue with hairs’ temporal and delicate materiality, crafting personas from their creature like forms.

Mackrell was recently selected for the Jerwood Drawing Prize 2015 for works from his photographic etching series, with accompanying pieces presented by Galerie Krinzinger, Vienna at Frieze London 2014 and 2015.

William Mackrell Links-
Website: www.williammackrell.com