Since the end of the 90's, Maria MARSHALL has been working on big video projections that revive the psychological dimension of cinema. Their impact consists of a fragile balance between the fascination derived from the visual charm of her pictures and the uneasiness produced by their underlying violence. Maria MARSHALL's videos aren't explicitly autobiographical, even though she often uses her two sons in the main roles. This artist takes us back to the world of childhood as a pretext in order to evoke the anxiety of adults. Images that at first charm us create feelings of uneasiness. Recognizing the unavoidable - that eventually these faces will be confronted with the world of adults and will lose their innocence - is the cause for this insidious malaise. In this way, the artist tackles the fundamental subjects of motherhood, socialisation and life experience. Her approach makes tangible this uncertain field between reality and the imagination, where a mother's anxieties for her son only increase. Even though her videos are shot in an extremely soft, almost mellow aesthetic, their subject remains painful. From biblical references to baroque style painting, Maria MARSHALL goes further than showing only her personal uncertainties. Her aim is to question our society, which she accomplishes by looking into the core of it - into the world, that is, of childhood.
Maria MARSHALL creates metamorphoses that bring us closer to what is essential - where good and evil are in constant conflict. Her short films use cinematographic language; their aim is to "seduce with density". These films never last longer than few minutes but have a hypnotic impact when they're shown in a loop.