Mark Robert Peters

Mark Robert Peters conducts process-based research into both content and technique, resulting in a wide variety of work. Since his time at the academy, he has grappled with an intrinsic interest in both science and art, an interest that often raises philosophical questions. His fascination with subjects that are not immediately comprehensible, such as quantum mechanics, the theory of relativity, or string theory, lies precisely in their complexity. These fields refer to the essence of being itself: from the atom to the universe, micro- and macrocosm, finite and infinite, yet all remain elusive. Fiction or non-fiction, real or unreal, it is these intriguing contrasts that spark curiosity.

Initially, Mark worked conceptually, but over time, a more intuitive working method emerged. The phase of visualizing a concept can develop into a process spanning years. Painting has become a recurring discipline in his oeuvre, in which content has taken a backseat to the image itself. He allows himself to be guided more by atmosphere, shaped by feeling, emotion, and music, among other things.

In all their nuances and forms, Peters’ abstract works evoke countless questions and emotions. These are not images that can be interpreted at a glance. Are they photorealistic paintings of new spatial dimensions, the universe, or microscopic enlargements of viruses or terrifying diseases? Just as well, they could be landscapes from a science fiction film. It seems that various areas of interest converge in these paintings. The viewer is free to go in many directions.

The paintings may appear ‘simple’ or ‘easy’, but appearances can be deceiving.

One could argue that the works are created intuitively, yet in fact, they are constructed. A contradiction that has more to do with working method than with way of thinking. He makes deliberate decisions about the technical steps to follow, while still leaving room for chance. Aesthetic motives inevitably influence his choice of colors and the manipulation of techniques. In an almost organic way, this results in an endless series of craft-based images.

Peters makes no secret of the influence other artists have had on his work. One of his greatest inspirations is the German artist Gerhard Richter, particularly his abstract works from the late 1970s and the squeegee paintings beginning in the late 1980s. His admiration for Richter initially posed an obstacle to Mark’s own painting practice. Not wanting to imitate anyone, he eventually found the freedom to forge his own path after years of hard work and experimentation. The craftsmanship of the process is essential for both the sense of immersion and the final result. A painting is built up layer by layer until the point is reached where it feels right to stop, a decision made by intuition. Through this layering, a play of light and space emerges. The diffuse and smooth finish of his canvases dehumanizes the image. Peters describes his work as abstract painting with a spatial dimension.

It is no coincidence that he has engaged with subjects such as utopias, surreal worlds, architecture, art, music, the universe, and science. The path Peters has taken leads the viewer along compressed impressions, rendered as spacious, multicolored landscapes. A seemingly endless road, one that may still lead to unexpected new directions. Know this: that which cannot be immediately explained, captivates.