Mary Ramsden creates abstract compositions in which amoebic forms fuse with bold, gestural mark-making. Ramsden’s practice is unapologetically painterly. Her works are testament to a commitment to painting as a progressive language that demands our attentive engagement. Strategically refusing referential readings, she makes painted objects whose compositional unity belies the complexity of their making. In Ramsden’s work even the subtlest adjustment is generative. Each shift in palette, variation in scale, or nuance of mark effects an incremental development within a broader scheme of experimentation. A recurring theme in Ramsden’s work is a preoccupation with the edge: a concern that is realised formally and pursued methodologically.
Mary Ramsden lives and works in London. Her most recent exhibitions include: Mary Ramsden: Couples Therapy, Pilar Corrias, London (2017); You see me like a UFO, Marcelle Joseph Projects (2017); 31 Women, Breese Little (2017); (In / It), The Aspen Art Museum, Aspen (2016); Vanilla and Concrete, part of Tate Britain’s relaunch of the Art Now series (2015); Swipe, Pilar Corrias, London (2015); I am here but you’ve gone, curated by Milovan Farronato with Stella Bottai, Fiorucci Art Trust, London (2015); Panda Sex, curated by Tom Morton, State of Concept, Athens (2014); New order II: British art today, Saatchi Gallery, London (2014); Consommé, Kinman, London (2013); Open Heart Surgery at The Moving Museum, London (2013); Temple Bar in Dublin (2012); and New Contemporaries, UK (2009).
Born in 1984
Lives and works in London
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2017
Couples Therapy, Pilar Corrias, London– UK
2016
Mary Ramsden: (In / It), The Aspen Art Museum, Aspen – US
2015
Swipe, Pilar Corrias, London – UK
2012
Mary Ramsden, Pilar Corrias, London – UK
2010
Atticsalt Gallery, Edinburgh – UK
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2017
You see me like a UFO, Marcelle Joseph Projects, The Grange, Ascot – UK
exercises, with Jenny Forster, GiG Munich – DE
31 Woman, Breese Little, London – UK
The 191st Annual Royal Scottish Academy Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh – UK
Pera Museum, Istanbul – TR
2016
Salon Sebastian Monteux at Glasgow International 2016, Glasgow – UK
2015
‘I was once Lonelyness’, Blain|Southern, Berlin – DE
Art Now: Vanilla and Concrete, Tate Britain, London – UK
Studio_Leigh, Studio_Leigh, London – UK
The London Open 2015, Whitechapel Gallery, London – UK
I am here but you’ve gone, curated by Milovan Farronato with Stella Bottai, Fiorucci Art Trust, London – UK
Tan Like That, curated by Martin Rasmussen, Queens Crescent, London – UK
2014
Panda Sex, curated by Tom Morton, State of Concept, Athens – GR
Shakti, Brand New Gallery, Milan – IT
New order II: British art today, Saatchi Gallery, London – UK
2013
Consommé, Kinman, London – UK
Open Heart Surgery, The Moving Museum at The Vinyl Factory, London – UK
2012
Making Familiar, Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin – IE
From New Perspectives, Marcelle Joseph Projects – UK
2011
Laurence Kavanagh, Simon Mathers, Mary Ramsden, Damien Roach, Cally Spooner, Pilar Corrias, London – UK
2010
The Moving Gallery, Newcastle – UK
Purity is Myth, Pilar Corrias, London – UK
Future Phase, The Arches, London – UK
Rag Factory, Brick Lane, London – UK
Group show, Open Eye Gallery, London – UK
2009
Kunskog, Five Hundred Dollars, London – UK
Bilateria, Five Hundred Dollars, London – UK
Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London – UK
New Contemporaries, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh – UK
Best of British, Swinton Park, Yorkshire – UK
20 Years, Leith Gallery, Edinburgh – UK
2008
Student Exhibition, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh – UK
Point of Delivery, Slade School of Art, London- UK
Ausgang, Edinburgh College of Art – UK
2007
The Lomellini Family, Minto House, Edinburgh – UK
Works on Paper, The Prince of Wales Drawing School, London – UK
2006
Patina, Atticsalt Gallery, Edinburgh – UK
2005
The Art of Care, Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh – UK
Cornucopia, Atticsalt Gallery, Edinburgh – UK
Group Show, Red Door Gallery, Edinburgh – UK
Young Turks, Atticsalt Gallery, Edinburgh – UK
EDUCATION
Royal Academy, London
Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh
Leith School of Art, Edinburgh
PUBLICATIONS
2015
Mary Ramsden, RadioPaper, London – UK
AWARDS, GRANTS AND RESIDENCIES
2015
Steep Rock Arts Association, 2 month residency award in Connecticut
2013
Dunoyer de Segonzac Prize
3rd Year Text Distinction
2012
Solomon J Soloman Prize
2009
Carnegie Travelling Scholarship
2008
Sir William Gillies Bequest Award
The George Jackson Hutchinson Memorial Award
2007
Andrew Grant Bequest Award
Vitamin P3 | New Perspectives in Painting featuring Helen Johnson, Sabine Moritz, Elizabeth Neel and Mary Ramsden
Out now! Vitamin P3 – New Perspectives in Painting The next installment in the popular Vitamin series – the world’s hottest painters, selected by international expert featuring Helen Johnson, Sabine Moritz, Elizabeth Neel, and Mary Ramsden by Phaidon Editors Buy here
Pilar Corrias at Art Basel Miami Beach 2016
We are excited to announce Pilar Corrias Gallery will be participating in Art Basel | Miami Beach 2016. The gallery will present works by artists: Ulla von Brandenburg Gerasimos Floratos Tala Madani Ken Okiishi Philippe Parreno Mary Ramsden Tschabalala Self Shahzia … More
Mary Ramsden “(In / It)” at The Aspen Art Museum, Aspen
For her first solo museum exhibition, British artist Mary Ramsden presents a new series of paintings grouped together in response to the architecture of the AAM’s Gallery 6. Expanding on her interest in prose, social media, and our daily interface … More
Mary Ramsden, ‘RadioPaper’ artist book commission at Studio Leigh, London
RadioPaper is the debut artist’s book by British artist Mary Ramsden featuring five original short stories by novelist Adam Thirlwell. Each publication features a unique hand-painted cover by Ramsden. Inside across 150 pages, the artist’s works on paper appear alongside … More
“Vanilla and Concrete” at Tate Britain, London
As part of the “Art Now” series, Vanilla and Concrete, presents new and recent work by Marie Lund, Rallou Panagiotou and Mary Ramsden who use painting and sculpture to give new meanings to the everyday. Marie Lund’s sculptures are inspired by the human … More
Mary Ramsden at Steep Rock Arts Residency, Connecticut
Mary Ramsden has been awarded a 2 months residency at Steep Rock Arts in Connecticut, which begins in May 2015. Steep Rock Arts Association is a program designed to provide emerging visual Artists and Curators with time, space and professional … More
Mary Ramsden at Whitechapel Gallery, London
Mary Ramsden has been selected for inclusion in The London Open 2015 the Whitechapel Gallery triennial exhibition which is to open in July 2015. From a record number of 2,133 applicants, 48 artists have been selected by a panel of high … More
Mary Ramsden at Fiorucci Art Trust, London
Mary Ramsden will feature in I am here but you’ve gone at the Fiorucci Art Trust, the first group show at its HQ in Sloane Avenue. Developed in partnership with London-based perfume atelier Creative Perfumers, the exhibition displays the final outcome of … More
Mary Ramsden for Contemporary Art Society: friday dispatch
Director of the Contemporary Art Society, London, Caroline Douglas picks Mary Ramsden’s solo show at Pilar Corrias for the friday dispatch. ‘This week I would like to encourage you to see a show which opened last night in the West … More
MARY RAMSDEN AT INDEPENDENT PROJECTS 2014, NEW YORK
For Independent Projects 2014, Tom Morton discusses the work of Mary Ramsden. These are paintings for the drag ‘n’ drop era, a time in which the image is endlessly mobile, and endlessly adaptable. Zooms seem important, here, as do crops … More
Mary Ramsden at Saatchi Gallery, London
Mary Ramsden is included in Saatchi Gallery’s current exhibition New Order II: British Art Today. Artists included in the exhibition are: Dominic Beattie, Laura Buckley, Alexandre da Cunha, Tom Gidley, George Little, Oscar Murillo, Carlos Noronha Feio, Selma Parlour, Hannah … More
Mary Ramsden at Kinman, London
Mary Ramsden will have new work included in the forthcoming group exhibition Consommé at Kinman Gallery in London. Other participating artists include Lloyd Corporation, Joe Fraser, Gabriel Hartley and Christian Newby. Consommé 27 November – 20 December 2013 KINMAN 81 Curtain Road … More
Pilar Corrias at Artissima, Turin
Participating at Artissima Pilar Corrias will present new works by artists: CHARLES AVERY ULLA VON BRANDENBURG TALA MADANI SABINE MORITZ ELIZABETH NEEL KEN OKIISHI PHILIPPE PARRENO MARY RAMSDEN JULIÃO SARMENTO RIRKRIT TIRAVANIJA ARTISSIMA Turin 8-10 November Booth: 1/2 Corridor Dark … More
Mary Ramsden at The Moving Museum, London
Mary Ramsden is included in The Moving Museum’s London exhibition Open Heart Surgery. Open Heart Surgery offers an exploration of contemporary art from London by bringing together some of London’s most urgent artistic voices, contextualising their approaches and identifying a new direction … More
Mary Ramsden at Temple Bar Gallery, Dublin
Mary Ramsden is taking part in the group show Making Familiar curated by James Merrigan and Robert Amstrong at the Temple Bar Gallery. The exhibition will feature the work of twelve painters. Its display will be rethought every week over … More
Artissima 17 Internazionale d’Arte Contemporanea
Pilar Corrias Gallery is delighted to announce its participation at Artissima 17: Internazionale d’Arte Contemporanea in Turin The gallery will present new work by: Charles Avery Ulla von Brandenburg Keren Cytter Elizabeth Neel Philippe Parreno Mary Ramsden Mary Reid Kelley … More
Andrew Travers, Black Mirrors, The Aspen Times Weekly, 12 January 2017 (Download PDF)
Aimee Farrell, A Tantalizing, Mysterious Art Book (Or Is It Book Art?), The New York Times, December 2015 (Download PDF)
Louisa Elderton, Review: Mary Ramsden ‘Swipe’, Frieze Magazine, April 2015 (Download PDF)
Jonathan Stubbs, Swipe: Mary Ramsden, The Studio, Royal Academy Schools, Summer 2015 (Download PDF)
The role of art in a digital world: an interview with Mary Ramsden, Art Media Agency, January 2015 (Download PDF)
Caroline Douglas, Mary Ramsden, Swipe, at Pilar Corrias Gallery, Contemporary Art Society — Friday Dispatch, 23 January 2015 (Download PDF)
Martin Herbert, Mary Ramsden at Pilar Corrias London, Time Out, July 2012 (Download PDF)
Mary Ramsden at Pilar Corrias, Neon Cactus, July 2012 (Download PDF)
Mary Ramsden: Couples Therapy
Coversation between Mary Ramsden and writer & curator Isobel Harbison Isobel Harbison: Your paintings often have exposed under layers visible in the corners, margins or frames, indicating the painterly processes and various tempos within the work. Since your show ‘Swipe’ … More
Mary Ramsden: Swipe
For her second solo exhibition at Pilar Corrias Gallery, Mary Ramsden creates new abstract compositions that embed the tension between action and redaction, noise and quiet, attraction and repulsion. Gestural marks define the ground of the paintings, characterised by a … More
Mary Ramsden
Pilar Corrias is delighted to present an exhibition of new work by Mary Ramsden. Mary Ramsden’s practice is unapologetically painterly. Strategically refusing referential readings, she makes painted objects whose compositional unity belies the complexity of their making. In Ramsden’s work … More
Group exhibition
Pilar Corrias Gallery is delighted to present an exhibition of new works by five London-based artists: Laurence Kavanagh, Simon Mathers, Mary Ramsden, Damien Roach, and Cally Spooner. In the main gallery, Laurence Kavanagh presents Dead Matter (mirror fire monkey)Dead Matter … More
Purity is a Myth
Pilar Corrias Gallery is delighted to present Purity is a Myth, an exhibition bringing together new work by Keltie Ferris, Rannv a Kunoy, Elizabeth Neel, Baker Overstreet and Mary Ramsden. Grounded in a rejection of painting as a vehicle for … More