MARY STEPHENSON
b. 1989, United KingdomGiving physical structure to memory, Mary Stephenson builds spaces that hold visual remnants of the unconscious mind. She approaches her canvases as fertile surfaces with the potential to recreate an emotion or bodily sensation. Stephenson applies thin layers of brightly coloured paint that seep and recede into her canvases before revealing a final image. Minute gestures—such as a small slit, a fine thread, or a sliver of light—provides entry points into these highly-saturated surfaces, inviting viewers to look closer.
Inanimate objects assume a central role within Stephenson’s world, expanding and contracting within vast, yet barely populated fields of vision that offer room for movement and exploration. Within these liminal spaces, Stephenson plays with scale, shifting between colossal structures and minuscule forms that dislodge her viewer from any logical sense of space and instead encourage an introspective spatial awareness.
Mary Stephenson (b. 1989 London, UK) lives and works in London. She graduated from the Royal Academy Schools, London in 2023 and the Glasgow School of Art in 2011. Stephenson has had solo exhibitions at MASSIMODECARLO, Paris; LINSEED Projects, Shanghai; and Incubator, London. Her work has been included in group exhibitions at Jeremy Scholar, London; Rose Easton, London; Michael Werner Gallery, London; and Ginny on Frederick, London; among others. Her work has been acquired by the Loewe Art Collection, Madrid and the Government Art Collection, London. In January 2025, Stephenson will have a solo exhibition at White Cube in Paris.
Text courtesy Chapter NY
Explore and Follow Artists Shaping Contemporary Art
A respected voice in contemporary art discourse.
Focusing on ambitious storytelling and insightful art-world commentary. Ocula Magazine publishes in-depth interviews, critical essays and timely analysis on the artists, exhibitions and ideas driving the global art world.
Learn more about Ocula Magazine
Showcasing the best of the art world.
Ocula partners with galleries from around the world to highlight their artists, artworks and exhibitions. Gallery membership is by application and invitation, with each member vetted by an independent panel.
Learn more about Ocula Membership
Specialises in the sale of major artworks.
Led by a team with deep ties to the world’s leading auction houses, galleries and collectors. Ocula’s advisory team offers bespoke services to high-net-worth clients from around the world who are looking to acquire the best of contemporary and modern art.
Learn more about our team and services