Anouk Mercier

Anouk Mercier’s work centers around the notion of escapism through the fabrication of narrative. Relying on the nostalgia of Romanticism and mythology to depict melancholic worlds and characters, her drawings celebrate both the power of the imagination to escape the quotidian and the mundane, whilst also exploring the mysterious, the abysmal and the uncanny that often lurks behind idylls.

Presented as illustrations of an enigmatic tale, her drawings range from tenebrous Animalia portraits, to haunting landscapes and mysterious ‘mini-worlds’, laced with decorative flora. The artist invites viewers to engage with this fantastical world, whilst yet creating the illusion that it can only be observed through a distancing window. Positioning the viewer in doing so, as an entranced voyeur, enticed into formulating a narrative based on the visual fragments presented.

Read an interview with Anouk here: http://www.antlersgallery.com/artist-interview-anouk-mercier

For all sales enquiries contact Jack on jack@antlersgallery.com

EDUCATION

2005-2008 BA(hons) Art and Visual Culture. The University of the West of England (UWE) Bristol.
2002-2003 Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux Arts (Paris)

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2012 Excursus, Antlers Gallery
2011 'La Galerie', Clamecy, France

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2013 ‘Drawn’, The Royal West of England Academy, Bristol
2012 ‘mono no aware’, bo.lee Gallery, Bath
2012 ‘160th Autumn Exhibition’, RWA, Bristol 
2012 ‘Reliquary’, bo.lee Gallery, Bath
2012 Old Beliefs, Antlers Gallery, Stroud
2012 Narrative, Antlers Gallery, Ilkley
2012 Last Day, Cartel, London
2012 Other Nature, Antlers Gallery, London
2011 RWA 159th Autumn Exhibition, The Royal West of England Academy, Bristol.
2011 Botany, Antlers, Bristol.
2011 Through Hills and Valleys, Bristol Drawing School, Bristol
2011 All that we are, Bath Fine Art, Bath
2011 Uncanny Views, Antlers, Bristol
2009 Friday the 13th, Plan 9, Bristol
2009 Time to Shine, Bristol
2008 The Show, Spike Island, Bristol
2008 When we build, let us think we build forever, Spike Island, Bristol

ART FAIRS

2013 AAF, Bristol
2013 AAF, London
2013 London Art Fair
2012 AAF, Bristol
2011 AAF, London
2011 The Palace Art Fair, London
2011 AAF, New York
2010 AAF, New York
2010 AAF, London

PRIZES/BURSARIES

2013 Contemporary Artists Explore Printmaking Bursary, Double Elephant Print Workshop, Exeter
2011 ART Magazine 'Emerging Artist Award', RWA 159 Autumn Exhibition.
2008 Innes Wilkin Art in Architecture Prize

RESIDENCIES

2009 The Berlin Office, Berlin

OTHER PROJECTS

Co-founder of Bristol Drawing Club (www.bristoldrawingclub.blogspot.com)
2009 ‘What would become of us’, site-specific installation, Bristol (co-curator & maker).
2008 ‘The Far West Metro Store’, Arnolfini, Relational and Plan 9 Offsite Project, Bristol.
2008 ‘Can We Stay Over Tonight?’, Plan 9, Bristol (Co-curator).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Co-founder of Bristol Drawing Club
RWA Artist Member
Jamaica Street Studios Artist
Tutor at Bristol Drawing School