Archive of work by graduates from the renowned MFA Programme at GSA

Helen de Main

Helen de Main is a British artist based in Glasgow. Her work has recently been shown in exhibitions in the UK and internationally, including as part of Flock, Bezalel Gallery, Tel Aviv (2008), Civilising the City, Emerged, Glasgow (2007) Parks and Culture, akau inc., Toronto (2006), Distance, Galerie 5020, Salzburg (2006), His life is full of miracles…, Site Gallery, Sheffield (2006) and Sense of Place, BEACON Project, Lincolnshire (2005).

De Main’s work looks at ideas associated with public space, re-development and the urban environment. Often taking initial inspiration from photographing objects in the city, these images are then reinterpreted and remade, manifesting themselves as sculpture and works on paper. Formal elements and shapes are often isolated, in some cases becoming seemingly abstract and ambiguous but, placed together, relationships are created both formally and conceptually. Using the language of everyday materials, the objects are unspectacular in themselves, yet their subverted forms tap into our everyday visual language in a perplexing way.