Mercier’s practice is based on his object collection, which he presents in playful assemblages, while drawing on the implied histories they emit. Mercier moved to Mexico City in 2015. His recent works incorporate local and organic materials and forms; emanating an intentionally homogenized view of “primitive” art. His assemblages relate both literal layers of the past and the immaterial overlay of an anthropological imaginary.
About the artist:
Theo Mercier was born in Paris in 1984. Without experience in fine art but an extensive background in industrial design, Mercier attended ENSCI (École Nationale Supérieure de Création Industrielle) in Paris and UDK (Universität der Künste) in Berlin. After working with Bernard Willhelm and Bjork on a series of design projects, he moved to New York in 2008 to assist Matthew Barney.
In 2009 Theo participated in the group exhibition DYNASTY at the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris, featuring a larger-than-life sculpture made entirely of spaghetti titled Le Solitaire. Several of his works were featured in the 2013 exhibition L’Objet surréaliste, at Centre Georges Pompidou. In 2013 Mercier also completed a residency at the Villa Medici in Rome. Later that same year, Mercier received a nomination for the Prix Marcel Duchamp. His work has been featured in various group exhibitions at Palais de Tokyo, La Maison Rouge, and MACVAL, among others.
