Mari Shields, an American sculptor who has been living and working in the Netherlands since 1972, is a master at unraveling complexities and infusing language with life. She studied painting at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design and sculpture at Tulane University. In the Netherlands, she also pursued a course in goldsmithing.
Her works are featured in prominent public collections in Amsterdam and the province of Utrecht. In addition to her impressive sculptures, Shields is a sought-after freelance editor and translator for major museums, prestigious schools, and renowned galleries, using her mastery over language to communicate the nuances of contemporary art.
Trees in the urban landscape are a constant source of fascination for Shields, with their ability to mark the changing seasons, anchor a place, and carry with them the weight of history. These tall and ancient giants often fall prey to disease or are cut down for other reasons, becoming the artist’s raw materials since 1988. The immediate trigger for this was the cutting down of ten beech trees near her studio. In a triumph against nature’s destructive forces, Shields transformed these doomed trees into a captivating installation.
The space that houses a piece of art or an installation is integral to its impact and significance. Shields sees indoor and outdoor spaces as extensions of her medium, using them to heighten the viewer’s appreciation for nature’s delicate beauty and its endless variety of shapes and materials.
“Ode to Tinguely”, a striking installation created in 1985 using found objects such as wheels, chains, and twisted iron, is a perfect example of the artist’s method. Her work often involves the juxtaposition of elements with diverse properties and meanings, be it in terms of clean lines versus unruly forms, man-made versus natural, or decay versus grace.
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