Andrew Mania explores identity, sexuality and nostalgia through portraiture drawing. His works have been described with the Portuguese term ‘Saudade’ (Martin, S., 2016) a word with no English equivalent, meaning a deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for an absent something or someone beloved.
Mania developed these drawings within assemblages set on decorative backgrounds such as hanging printed fabrics. A voracious collector, he created a dialogue between a series of early vintage photographs selected for their aesthetic or mystery, and his own drawings that capture a state of mischief and yearning.
Andrew Mania
Andrew Mania (b. Bristol, 1974) lives and works in Bristol. Solo exhibitions include Andrew Mania, Bloomberg SPACE, London (2009) and Gogolin, Holbourne Museum of Art, Bath (2007). His work has been shown in group exhibitions including; PINK, Colette, Paris (2017); Adult World at Clearview Gallery, London (2017); BRISTOL, Peter von Kant Gallery, London (2017); Valentin at monChéri, Brussels (2017); Viaggio in Sicilia: Maps and Myths of the Mediterranean, Museo Archeologico Regionale Antonino Salinas, Sicily (2017); Portraits, Francesco Pantaleone Arte Contemporanea (2012); Nothing but Youth, Turner Contemporary, Margate (2011); Evening’s Tears, Morning’s Dew, Ancient and Modern, London (2011); Just Photography, Martos Gallery, New York. He was awarded the Rome Scholarship in 2004.