Mark Mardirosian recently retired from a career as an Architect and has enjoyed having time to devote to his passion for the creation of art from everyday objects. He defines his work as Bricolage, a term used in several disciplines, among them the visual arts and literature, to refer to the construction or creation of a work from a diverse range of things that happen to be available, or a work created by such a process.
The term is borrowed from the French word bricolage, from the verb bricoler, the core meaning in French being, "fiddle, tinker" and, by extension, "to make creative and resourceful use of whatever materials are at hand (regardless of their original purpose)".
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| Rose Birdhouse, bricolage, Mark Mardirosian, 2010 |
My art takes the form of usable objects that I reinvigorate and redefine using discarded everyday familiar objects, ephemera and castoffs of the past as a palette for my work. I think of myself as an urban hunter-gatherer and assemble materials from a variety of sources. I am constantly on the lookout for the unusual as well as the mundane and my family and friends share the search. My architectural background has a strong influence on the direction and complexity of my work which has taken the form of bird houses, boxes and furniture.
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| Tampon Dispenser, bricolage, Mark Mardirosian, 2009 |
My work can be nostalgic, historical, or just plain whimsical, juxtaposing memories and knickknacks that are castoffs of everyday activities. I am a lifelong Detroiter, although currently living in Grosse Pointe Park, consequently much of my work will contain objects and memories of forgotten Detroit. I aspire to make people smile as they catch something familiar from their own personal history.
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| Bottle Cap Men, bricolage, Mark Mardirosian, 2008 |
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| Decorated Cigar Boxes, bricolage, Mark Mardirosian, 2009 |
What do you think of Mark's creations?
Thanks for posting this. We loved having Mark's work here at Paint Creek Center for the Arts.
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