Wednesday, February 8, 2017

MF Shop Artist Feature // Maria Mangano




This month the MF Shop is proudly featuring artist Maria Mangano! Born in Syracuse, New York, Mangano moved to Pittsburgh to attend Carnegie Mellon University where she earned her BFA in Printmaking/Drawing/Painting.

The artist finds inspiration at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History as well as the way nature seeps into our daily lives. Mangano's work focuses on the intersection of nature, museums and science to address the issues of wilderness, conservation, memory and humanness. She currently maintains a studio in Point Breeze, where she works on a variety of prints, mixed media installations, and drawings.


We spoke to Mangano about her current practice and also the way one of her favorite pieces at the Mattress Factory influenced her work, "Dan Steinhilber's Untitled [2006] had a really big effect on me," said Mangano. "Not because of the piece itself necessarily, although it was extraordinary and memorable, but because I was working as an installer and watched him spend months testing out ideas and playing with materials. He got pretty far along one particular path before scrapping it very close to the show's opening and made something totally different. It really taught me that you can't be afraid to change course and undo your previous work in pursuit of the best possible art you can
make."



To see a special display of Mangano's prints and collages, visit the MF Shop where you will find a selection of curated art books, artisan jewelry, and home decor. Open Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 5pm and Sunday 1pm - 5pm. Remember, admission is not required to shop!