Mieke Marple

Lot #47
Queen of Swords (Independence), 2020
Acrylic on canvas
40 x 30 x 2 inches
Courtesy of the artist and Ever Gold [Projects], San Francisco

About the Artwork

Mieke Marple made her Tarot Reckoning series in the Fall of 2020, six months into the pandemic, as climate-change-induced wildfires ravaged California. The series—including The Queen of Swords—is full of fluorescent gradients, which, the artist says, function in two ways: “Firstly, they suggest urgency, as though the paintings are screaming "Spiritual emergency!" Secondly, they mirror the toxicity of the air from that time.” She continues, “Despite these connotations, the Queen of Swords itself is a powerful card about self-empowerment.” Marple’s recent solo exhibitions include Tarot Reckoning and Bad Feminist at Ever Gold [Projects], San Francisco, and God is an Audiobook at 1301PE, Los Angeles. She has been written about in The New York Times, W Magazine, The Guardian, The Art Newspaper, and Autre, among other publications, and has written essays for ZYZZYVA, Matrons & Mistresses, and Artsy. From 2011 to 2016, Marple was co-owner of Night Gallery in Los Angeles.

Retail Value: $5,000