Celestial Light - Mark Batty

About

This collection of paintings continues Batty's artistic focus on astronomy by examining the ethereal yet overwhelming nature of space through oil paint.

Through practice-based research and collaboration with astronomers and geologists, Batty's work nourishes the relationship between science and art. He represents stellar regions, which reconfigure the aesthetic of the landscape through astronomical mapping. These works present a natural aesthetic of the cosmos. However, due to the lack of recognisable structures and tangible forms, the result can seem free of reference and subject matter, blurring the line between representation and abstraction. Batty brings materiality to his astronomic subject matter by grinding his own pigments with geological substances such as dust from lunar meteorites. With traditional handling of oil paint and keen attention to scientific detail, Batty's paintings invite the viewer to an astronomical frontier by showcasing areas of space that are both overwhelming and within our grasp.

About the artist

Mark Batty b. 1991 lives and works in London. After graduating in Illustration in 2013 he changed his focus to fine art, specifically painting. After studying astronomy at school and joining a local observers group, he made space his artistic focus. Recent exhibitions include Possible Futures, London (2021), Inner Space alongside works by Oliver Beer, Henry Moore, Lynn Chadwick and Katie Patterson, London (2020), From the Studio Floor, Cambridge (2020), Captive State, London (2019).