About
Mars Wagner graduated from Northeastern University with a BFA in Studio Art, taking her studio classes at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. While not defined by one medium, her art is based in small metals and bookmaking, intertwined with collage and found object art.
Artist Statement//
I am fascinated by the interaction between books, small metals, and found objects. I am a bookmaker, sourcing imagery from the photos I take while exploring cities and beaches, or virtual strolls on google maps. Though subtle, location is a present theme in my work: a photo of a loose ginger root strapped to my bike is evidence of my journey to share a meal with a friend. Though subtle, the combination of surveillance and nature allude to the underpinnings of my dual-identity as Asian-American and genderqueer.
Growing up in San Francisco, I developed a love for how people contribute to shared spaces: tags on street signs, city gardens, and the buildup of paint and posters are marks made by my community that goes beyond my immediate circle. I make metal vessels to contain objects to wish upon, reliquaries for guitar picks, and bronze castings of my luckiest found object: a rock caught in a band of copper with a natural blue patina from the ocean. An object’s inherent connection to my wandering path and its formal qualities are separated when I hold a public object in a private space, allowing me to find patterns and shapes that influence the formal qualities of my work.
