Bio
As a neurodivergent artist, Marie Magnetic uses color, form, and surreal images to make sense of humanity. Pulling from her experiences as a queer, Jewish, and Indigenous woman, she uses social issues and events from the everyday to explore society and share her experiences and inner world with her audience. Other than a handful of community art classes she has taken at community art centers, Marie is self-taught.
Marie Magnetic (b. 1989, Jackson, Michigan) is a Chicago-based visual artist. She was awarded a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Central Michigan University in 2017, working in social services and several library roles before returning to art during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, Marie held her first solo exhibit at Little Broken Thingsin Chicago. Marie is a Foundation House, Haven Foundation, and New York Foundation for the Arts grant recipient. Additionally, her work has been published in Haus-a-Rest, HNDL Mag,and Modern Renaissance Magazine.
Artist Statement
I use paint, collage, and found objects to create art about my life and the lives of others. Within my art, I reflect on the mundane, the morose, and the magnificently mad while considering the experiences of being othered. My art practice helps me to examine dystopia, delight, and delusion in society.
My work is also inspired by my experiences as a Jewish, Indigenous, neurodivergent, and queer woman. I grew up in a small town in Michigan and witnessed people struggle with addiction, mental illness, disability, racism, and poverty. I am interested in educating and informing others about social issues through my artwork.
I am influenced by absurdity, surrealism, and satire, in which I aim to engage my audience and play with color and form. I like experimenting in my art, delving into a world where familiarity and the unknown merge. As an artist, I aim to think about the world differently, question societal norms, and consider a greater social consciousness.