Marc Dennis

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Born: 1967, Danvers, MA

Lives: Brooklyn, NY

Education:
The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX - M.F.A. 1993
Tyler School of Art, Temple University, Elkins Park, PA - B.F.A

Residencies:
1991 Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Omaha, NE

Recent Select Solo Exhibitions:

2007


2006



2005
2003

2006-7


2006




2005

2004









2003

Catalogs:
Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition Exhibition Catalog, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, essay by Dave Hickey, Full-color 88 pages softcover, in conjunction with exhibition; July 1 – February, 2007
Caravaggio’s Cat and Other Things Unseen, Marc Dennis – New Paintings, Ricco/Maresca Gallery, New York, NY; essay by Lilly Wei; Full-color, 40 page exhibition catalog; Lettra Press, Los Angeles, CA, 2006
Marc Dennis – Paintings, Ricco/Maresca Gallery, New York, NY; essay by Andrea Inselmann, Curator of Contemporary Art at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; Palace Press International, Hong Kong, China, 2003, full-color, 64 page exhibition catalog, 2003
Annual Realism Invitational III, Art Publications, Ltd., San Francisco, CA, essay by John O’Hern, Director of Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, NY; full-color 40 page catalog to accompany exhibition at Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco, CA; 2002
Annual Realism Invitational II, Art Publications, Ltd., San Francisco, CA; essay by Patricia Failing, regular contributor to Art news and Professor of Modernism, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; full-color 40 page catalog to accompany exhibition at Jenkins Johnson Gallery, San Francisco, CA; 2001
Horse Tales – American Images and Icons, 1800-2000; essays by Susan Edwards, Ezra Shales, Charlotta Kotik, and Deborah Bright; full-color 55 page exhibition catalog to accompany exhibition; curated by Susan Edwards, Director of Museum; and Ezra Shales, Director of Museum Education; 2001
Re-presenting Representation IV, Buffalo Fine Art Press, Buffalo, NY; essay by John O’Hern, Director of The Arnot Art Museum; full-color 80 page exhibition catalog to accompany exhibition at The Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, NY; 2000
Elvis + Marilyn - 2X Immortal, Rizzoli International Publications, New York, NY; essays by David Halberstam, Norman Mailer, and Wendy McDaris; full-color 177 page exhibition catalog to accompany traveling exhibition; Elvis + Marilyn - 2X Immortal, curated by Wendy McDaris Exhibit Group; 1994

Selected Reviews and Articles:
American Art Collector Magazine, February Issue, 2007, Wildlife Encounters by John Ohern
American Art Collector Magazine, February Issue, 2007, Marc Dennis at Billy Shire Fine Arts – Editor’s Pick by Joshua Rose
American Art Collector Magazine, November Issue, 2006, Off the Grid, Marc Dennis by John Ohern
Miami Artist Series, miamiartistseries.com, Miami, FL, December 27, 2005, Marc Dennis – New Paintings at Bettcher Gallery by Joe Dirosa,
Courier-Life Publications, Brooklyn, NY, Thursday, December 6, 2005, Dumbo Arts Center Winter Auction Highlights, by Michele De Meglio
Sunday-Patriot News, Harrisburg, PA, Sunday, July 17, 2005, Arts & Leisure, Art on Wheels, VanGo Art Museum Brings Art to Migrant Children by David N. Dunkle
Columbia Ledger, Columbia, PA, April 14, 2005, VanGo Art Museum Helps Students Learn About Art by Jamie Fessler
Pipe Dream, Binghamton, NY, Vol. LXVII, #13 March 11, 2005, Marc Dennis at the Art Mission, by Rachel Kalina
Spacetaker, spacetaker.com, Houston, TX, February, 2005, Marc Dennis at Hooks-Epstein Galleries by staff writer
The Miami Beach Sun Post, Miami Beach, FL, December 2, 2004, Volume XIX, Number 48, Front Page: The Color of Money – Miami Galleries to Benefit from Art Basel Money Crowd by Brandon Dane, Staff Writer
The Miami Beach Sun Post, Miami Beach, FL, December 2, 2004, Volume XIX, Number 48, News Section: Scope Miami: A Different Sort of Art Fair by Brandon Dane, Staff Writer
Entertainment, News & Views, Miami Beach, FL, November 25, 2004, The Good Life Section, Marc Dennis Exhibit at Bettcher Gallery Through Art Basel
The New York Times, New York, NY, August 13, 2004, Friday Edition, Arts Section, Group Show “Water” at Ricco Maresca Gallery by Ken Johnson
The Washington City Paper, Washington DC, July 24, 2004, Group Show at Conner Contemporary – Seven (More Things We Like) by Staff Writer
New York Post, New York, NY, Sunday, July 11, 2004, Hot List by Maureen Callahan, Heroes, Villains and Average Joes at the Dumbo Arts Center.
The Press & Sun Bulletin, Binghamton, NY, February 12, 2004, Lifestyle, Cosmos & Chaos Packs a Wallup, by Sarah D’Esti Miller
The Press & Sun Bulletin, Binghamton, NY, February 11, 2004, Lifestyle, Art Bars are in Good Taste, by Elizabeth Cohen
The Press & Sun Bulletin, Binghamton, NY, January 30, 2004, Lifestyle, Cosmos & Chaos, Major Art Exhibition Examines Collision of Science and Human Nature, by Sarah D’Esti Miller
Icono Duel, iconoduel.com, posted May 13, 2004, Chicago Art Fair, Marc Dennis with Zeihersmith Gallery, by staff writer
Fallon & Rosoff Artblog, fallonandrosof.com, posted June 3, 2004, Bad Boys in Brooklyn at d.a.c., by Fallon
The Austin American-Statesman, Austin, TX, July 12, 2003, Artswatch, Marc Dennis at Gallery Two by Michael Barnes
World Art Magazine, New York, NY, Oct. 19, 2002, Images of Death at Dabora Gallery, Brooklyn, by Gary Rhinehardt
The Age - Fairfax Digital, Fairfax, VA, September 27, 2002, Go With the Flow on the Waterfront, by Julie Szego
College Bound Magazine, September 2002, Elmira College Project Dumbo with Marc Dennis, by Krista Michelle Arrigo
The Village Voice, New York, NY, August 14-20, 2002, Vol. XLVII No. 33, A Bird Show by Vince Aletti
The New York Times, New York, NY, August 9, 2002, Arts, A Bird Show by K. Johnson
The Austin American-Statesman, Austin, TX, April 18, 2002, Artswatch, Marc Dennis at Slugfest Gallery by Jeanne van Ryzin
The Washington Post, Washington DC, Sun., March 3, 2002, Five Artists at Signal 66, by Staff Writer
The Star Gazette, Elmira, NY, Tuesday, September 11, 2002, Artists Respond - Red, White, (Black) & Blue – September 11th Memorial Exhibition at Elmira College by John Cleary
The New York Times, New York, NY, Tuesday, September 18, 2002, Williams Syndrome Camp is All Music and Smiles, by Natasha Randall, Special to the Times
The Corning Leader, Corning, NY, Saturday, September 15, 2002, September 11th Memorial Art Exhibition by Mary Perham
The Star Gazette, Elmira, NY, Sunday, December 22, 2001, Creative Passion by Jim Pfeifer
The Jewish Reporter, Binghamton, NY, Saturday, April 2, 2001, Greetings From Auschwitz, George Waters Gallery, Elmira College
The New York Times, New York, NY, Sunday, March 30, 2001, Horse Tales: American Images and Icons 1800-2000 at the Katonah Museum of Art by staff writer
The Star Gazette, Elmira, NY, Sunday, March 23, 2001, Marked for Life, A Holocaust Survivor by Jim Pfeifer
The Star Gazette, Elmira, NY, Thursday, September 7, 2000, Their Only Release –Hidden Art of the Holocaust – Taught by Marc Dennis by Jim Pfeifer
The Corning Leader, Corning, NY, Saturday, August 26, 2000, Holocaust Humanized by Jeremy Ehrenreich
The Corning Leader, Corning, NY, Sunday, July 16, 2000, Billboard Art Project by Mary Perham
The Boston Globe, Boston, MA, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2000, Living/Arts Section, Marc Dennis at Kougeas Gallery by Cate McQuaid
City Magazine, Rochester’s Alternative Newsweekly, Rochester, NY, Vol. 29, Dec. 15-21, 1999, Facing Reality by Ron Netsky
The Star Gazette, Elmira, NY, Thursday, Oct. 14, 1999, Time Out, Re-presenting Representation, by Dan Aloi
The Corning Leader, Corning, NY, Sunday, Oct. 10, 1999, Marc Dennis - Looking to Make a Mark, by Jeremy Ehrenreich
The Star Gazette, Elmira, NY, Thursday, Sept. 30, 1999, Time Out, Artist Marc Dennis, by Dan Aloi
The Star Gazette, Elmira, NY, Sunday Edition, Feb. 7, 1999, Front Page, Elmira College Students Pull All-Nighter Professor of Art, Marc Dennis' students pull second all-night painting marathon.
WENY, ABC Affiliate, Elmira, NY, Evening News Report, Aired Oct. 1998, Robert Brown, Reporter; Students in Marc Dennis' Painting Class at Elmira College Explore Local Landscapes
The Star Gazette, Elmira, NY, Saturday, Sept. 26, 1998, Twin Tiers Life - Local; Take Back the Night Happens in Elmira, Marc Dennis' Art Students Participate in Clothesline Project for the Task Force of Domestic Violence
The Star Gazette, Elmira, NY, Thursday, Sept. 10, 1998, Marc Dennis, New Faculty at Elmira College
Chemung Valley Reporter, Elmira, NY, Thursday, Sept. 3, 1998, New Elmira College Faculty to Unleash Students' Creativity
NY Arts Magazine, New York, NY, Vol. 16, Dec./Jan. 1998, Marc Dennis at In Khan Gallery, NYC by Allyson Norwood
Art Papers, Atlanta, GA Sept. - Oct. 1997, In Memory of Pleasure at Kohler Arts Center by Heather Hewett
New Art Examiner, Chicago, IL, June, 1997, In Memory of Pleasure by Nadine Wasserman
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI, May, 1997, In Memory of Pleasure by James Auer
San Jose Mercury News, San Jose, CA, Sun., Nov. 24, 1996, The King & the Showgirl by Stephen Whitty
San Francisco Sunday Examiner & Chronicle, San Francisco, CA, Nov. 24, 1996, Art Section, Images of Pop by Andrew Goodwin
Metro Arts, San Jose, CA, Nov. 22, 1996, Elvis + Marilyn:2X Immortal by Rick Stentz
SPEAK Magazine, San Francisco, CA, Nov. 20, 1996, Homage to Elvis by Greil Marcus,
The Other Paper, Portland, OR, Aug. 1, 1996, The Guide Section, I Wish I Hadn't Seen This - Dennis' Severed Elvis Head by Karen Simonian
Willamette Week, Portland, OR, Feb. 7, 1996, Portland Art Museum's Exhibit Icons and Images by Bruce Hainley
Oregonian, Portland, OR, Feb. 3, 1996, Off the Wall, Elvis and Marilyn Exhibit by Randy Gragg
Cleveland Magazine, Cleveland, Ohio, Aug. 1995, Entertainment Extra, Rockin' & Mythologizin' by Anne Brooks Ranallo
Solon Herald Sun, Cleveland, Ohio, Aug. 1995, Marilyn & Elvis Still Out There by Rachael Butler
Jewish News, Cleveland, OH, Aug. 11, 1995, Elvis and Marilyn: Multiplied at CMA by Fran Heller
Cleveland News Herald, Cleveland, OH, Sat., Aug. 5, 1995, The Immortals, CMA Exhibit by Janet Podolak
The Journal, Winston-Salem, NC, June 1995, Eye on Art, Mint Museum Fascination by Tom Patterson
The News & Observer, Charlotte, NC, Sun., April 23, 1995, Double Exposure by Chuck Twardy
Houston Chronicle, Houston, TX, Feb. 3, 1995, Elvis + Marilyn, Weird Carnival by Patricia C. Johnson
Boston Globe, Boston, MA, Jan. 1, 1995, Pulse, ICA to Explore Elvis' Roots by David Wildman
The New York Times, New York, NY, Sun., Dec. 18, 1994, ART VIEW, A Pair of Saints Who Refuse to Stay Dead by Vicki Goldberg
Boston Globe, Boston, MA, Nov. 1, 1994, Elvis + Marilyn: You ain't nothin’ but an icon by Christine Temin
Boston Herald, Boston, MA, Nov. 1, 1994, Spirited Time at ICA, Art Staff Writer
Omaha World Herald, Omaha, NE, Sept. 14, 1994, Reality and Beyond, by Kyle Macmillan
San Antonio Express News, San Antonio, TX, June 10, 1994, The Eerie Beauty & Ugliness of Marc Dennis' Paintings by Dan R. Goddard
The Forward, New York, NY, May 20, 1994, Painting Freaks in Paradise - Rebel Art Breeds Theological Science by Gabriel Price
The Long Island Jewish Week, Great Neck, Long Island, NY, Feb. 25 - March 3, 1994, Jarring Images on Exhibit by Toby Axelrod
The Long Island Jewish Week, Great Neck, Long Island, NY, March 4 - March 11, 1994, Marc Dennis’ Paintings Should Be Removed (letter submitted by Janet Goldner/Artist), Letters to the Editor
Great Neck News, Feb. 18, 1994, Great Neck, Long Island, NY Gallery Emanuel, Marc Solomon Dennis by Art Staff Writer
The Berkshire Eagle, Pittsfield, MA, July 29, 1993, Visual Punster at Work at Welles Gallery by Daniel Grant
ARTnews, New York, NY, Vol. 92, Nov. 1993, Marc Dennis at Martin/Rathburn Gallery by Saundra Goldman
Art Papers, Atlanta, GA, Vol. 17, No. 5, Sept. & Oct. 1993, Marc Dennis at Martin/Rathburn Gallery by Roy Gary
San Antonio Express News, San Antonio, TX, April 25, 1993, Marc Dennis Uses Old Forms to Explore New Myths by Dan R. Goddard
The Leavenworth Times, Leavenworth, KS, July 6, 1992, Marc Dennis Explores Chaos, Staff Writer
The Asbury Park Press, Asbury Park, NJ, April 20, 1989, Anima, Animus – The Spirited Paintings of Marc Dennis by Robin Goldberg

Selected Excerpts from Reviews on the Paintings of Marc Dennis:

“Dennis paints hyperreal unreality. His paintings of flowers are eerily familiar but totally alien to the real world.”
– John O’Hern, American Art Collector Magazine, November ‘06

“Destabilizing the familiar, dissatisfied with the limits of nature, Dennis leads us into the spectacle of subtly altered worlds, into the spellbound, enigmatic and wondrous terrains of invention and artifice.”
– Lilly Wei, ’06 (excerpt from catalog for solo show at Ricco Maresca Gallery, Feb 23 – April 8, 2006)

“Marc Dennis tackles controversial issues with his enlarged graphic images of Nazis being shot, people talking on cell phones, and the 9/11 attacks from the viewpoint of victims within the buildings.”
- Pipe Dream, Binghamton, NY ’05

“His works are both beautiful and mysterious all at once…nervous and on edge with a psychological aspect.”
– The Sun Post, Miami Beach, FL ‘04

“Marc Dennis paints a perfect pristine wave.”
– The New York Times, New York, NY ’04

“Marc Dennis’ realistic oil paintings of animals are incredibly painted; they are very odd and discomforting, but beautiful in their technical facility.”
– The Washington City Paper, Washington DC ‘04

“Marc Dennis gives a nod to Caravaggio with paintings both beautiful in their execution and haunting in their effect.”
– The Press & Sun Bulletin, Binghamton, NY ‘04

“In his decidedly post-modern paintings, Dennis seduces the viewer to look closely by using familiar and inviting genres like still-life and portraiture to ensnare the viewer who subsequently could not resist the rich layers of emerging meaning.”
– Andrea Inselmann, Johnson Museum at Cornell University, ‘03

“The most startling works are ink drawings by Marc Dennis of good and evil. By devotedly executing the details, Dennis forces the viewer to contemplate the mixed messages of war as art.”
– Austin American-Statesman, Austin, TX ‘03

“Dennis’ work is a small celebration of art and the pain and suffering that is its fodder.”
– Boston Globe, Boston, MA ’01

“Among the most disquieting works in the show are by Marc Dennis. They are some of the most effective narratives because the unusual and disturbing quality of the subject matter forces us to think about power.”
– City Magazine, Rochester, NY ’00

"His works beg questions from viewers…raising questions of vulnerability and control."
– The Corning Leader, Corning, NY '99

"Dennis uses mythological and biblical references as well as symbols exploring not only the act of painting, but also relevant societal concerns."
- New Art Examiner, Chicago, IL '98

"Using the style of seventeenth-century Baroque artists, Dennis' often surreal contexts are disorienting and forceful."
– Art Papers, Atlanta, GA '98

"Dennis' paintings invite participation and revulsion in an unsettling world of intense and unpleasant emotional pressure. While tempting the viewer to merge with the warm flow of the luscious medium, one is likely repelled by the perverse grins, bad teeth and gums of his subjects."
– NY Arts, New York, NY '98

“Like the past masters he loves – Caravaggio, Velasquez, Goya -- Dennis is both a social satirist and a deeply interior artist. Looking out on an irrational society, he holds us at a distance with his observing eye and extended arm.”
– Katy Siegel, contributing editor for ARTFORUM, excerpt from essay for marcdennis.com ’98

“Beauty is balanced with ugliness in the eerie but finely made paintings of Marc Dennis…His paintings have rich, glowing colors and handsome glazes, but his subjects are sometimes disturbing.”
– San Antonio Express News, '97

"Dennis, drawing on time-tested literary sources, blends biblical and mythological materials in some of the show’s finer pictures. Indeed, seductiveness, as opposed to beauty, is at risk in Dennis’ revisionist atmosphere."
– Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee, WI '97

“Inspired by the paintings of the High Renaissance, during the transition to the Baroque era, Dennis uses the methods of the Old masters to create fluid, richly colored compelling images.”
– San Antonio Express News, San Antonio, TX '96

"Marc Dennis uses classical techniques and approaches from the past, yet possesses an obvious understanding of modernism and a desire to engage the present."
– Omaha World Herald, Omaha, NE '96

"Rather than trashing art history, Marc Dennis uses it to make contemporary social commentary."
- The Berkshire Eagle, Pittsfield, MA '94

"…His paintings offer the technical prowess and skill of old masters such as Velasquez and Caravaggio, but they are frightening and perverse. Dennis’ paintings are celebrations of freaks in paradise."
- The Forward, New York, NY '94

“Marc Dennis’ paintings, while ultimately redemptive, are perversely exotic in their search for a communal language.”
- Art Papers, Atlanta, GA ‘93

"Marc Dennis draws on art history, particularly Baroque painting to address the theme of violence...As sources for his work, the artist draws on classical mythology, biblical narratives and Native American customs...The results are powerful works that affirm life's beauty as well as address its pain."
- Artnews, New York, NY '93