Ann-Marie’s drawings and installation has finally opened its doors this past Thursday. With both visual and auditory stimulation, the Whitespec metamorphosed as the materialization of the fantastical space she had created within the drawings. Covered in pastel and dusted in glitter, drops of fluid forms line the waterway that guides the viewer along each drawing.

“Ann-Marie Manker’s current drawings and paintings explore the conceptual connectivity between a lost piece of artwork Manker created as a child and the exploration of that same theme as an adult. The psychological narrative involves a single female and coupled animals within an organic setting. Elements of love, desire, fantasy and flirtation play out their role in an environment of mid-century inspired nature, design and motifs. The setting for these drawings were derived from a variety of early 1960’s pop culture, including the Southern California neighborhood where Manker grew up, Hong Kong pop YouTube videos, the lyrics from Rebecca Pan’s early 60’s hit “Bengawan Solo” and Disney’s It’s a Small World ride.

The current installation on view at whitespec, brings Manker’s drawings to life in a three-dimensional setting. A fantastical landscape is created with a variety of materials including sculpted and painted foam, cast plastic and plaster gumdrops that are painted and coated in glitter, cut painted paper and fabric. The artist invites the viewers to walk along the river’s pat while engaging in a visual and mental escape as the title Trip for Two suggests.“