London-based artist Megan Rooney, 40, is preparing for a new show at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, showcasing her unique and painstaking abstract painting process. She applies and removes layers of paint with power sanders, creating works with 10-15 hidden layers beneath the surface. Rooney, who grew up in Canada, views her art as 'dangerous work' and a serious calling, with an exhibition also currently open in Beijing.
‘Painting’s dangerous work!’ The artist whose tools are brushes and power sanders
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London-based artist Megan Rooney, 40, is preparing for a new show at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac, showcasing her unique and painstaking abstract painting process. She applies and removes layers of paint with power sanders, creating works with 10-15 hidden layers beneath the surface. Rooney, who grew up in Canada, views her art as 'dangerous work' and a serious calling, with an exhibition also currently open in Beijing.
- 1 Megan Rooney grew up in Canada and now lives in London.
- 2 Her painting 'Old Rome' was painted this year.
- 3 An exhibition bringing Rooney and Joan Mitchell together is open until October at Espace Louis Vuitton Beijing.
- 4 Rooney is preparing for her forthcoming show at Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac.
- Critically acclaimed work
- Commercial and institutional support for her art
- Her paintings are described as 'beautiful' and 'substantive'
What: Artist Megan Rooney's unique and 'dangerous' painting process, her artistic philosophy, and her upcoming exhibition in London.
When: This year (Old Rome painting), until October (Beijing exhibition).
Where: London (Rooney's studio, residence), Beijing (exhibition), Canada (Rooney grew up), Old Rome (painting title implies Italy/Rome).
Why: Rooney's process is driven by a desire to find the 'finished work' through a slow, almost torturous accumulation of paint and lived experiences, believing art is a serious calling.
How: Rooney creates her paintings by adding and subtracting layers of paint, using power sanders to remove paint. She also commissions dance performances to accompany her exhibitions.