Mark Tennant’s work has taken every corner of the world by storm, from reputable art galleries, museums, and fairs to social media. The talented contemporary artist masterfully balances mass appeal and sophistication by drawing inspiration from pop culture and vintage photographs and putting them through the lens of his unique sensibility. On April 11, 2024, Mark Tennant opened his new solo show, “Memento Mori,” at Georges Bergès Gallery. The artist presented a series of his latest photorealistic paintings and attended the opening event in person. We decided to take this opportunity to share the pictures of the exhibition and tell you a bit more about Mark Tennant and his art.
It is impossible to confuse Mark Tennant’s work with anyone else’s. From his subjects to his signature wide brush strokes, his pieces are unlike anything you will see in most art galleries and museums today. Tennant has become a legend of contemporary painting thanks to his work combining Impressionist influences with casual, everyday themes that might appear not canvas-worthy to some. For example, one of Tennant's best-known photorealistic paintings depicts a teenage girl eating spaghetti from a ziplock bag during class.
Rebellious and unfiltered, sometimes even crude, girlhood is one of Tennant’s favorite subjects. This could partially explain his popularity among people from all walks of life, but especially young women. It is not often they see themselves portrayed in oil on canvas — they are much more used to having their experiences not only seen as unworthy of fine art but also dismissed and ridiculed.
Having mixed feelings when looking at Mark Tennant’s art is normal. After all, the human brain is wired in a way that makes it short-circuit when it sees something that borders reality and fantasy. However, if you are able to look past your brain’s fight-or-flight instinct, what you will find is genuine love and adoration for art and people.
So why “Memento Mori”? It is unlikely that Mark Tennant wants to plant fear into his audience's minds. Instead, he wants to remind them that life is finite, so each of its moments is a precious gift one must cherish and enjoy with full force.
Mark Tennants’s solo exhibition, “Memento Mori,” is on view at Georges Bergès Gallery in New York through May 7, 2024.
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