Inside the Victor R. Small House, art lovers gazed at the work of Peter Marin and its vivid and colorful geometric shapes.

Sampson Arts Council, Inc. hosted Marin and his “Weight as Real” presentation Sunday during a special reception. Along with color and geometry, the Mexico City native uses a mix of architecture, landscape, nature and identity. He has lived in San Francisco, Oakland, Madrid, New York and has exhibited his art around the world.

Each piece for “Weight as Real” had a personal meaning for Marin and involved abstraction. He grew up as a son of an architect and during those years, art was always around him. Now, architecture plays a central theme in his painting.

“When it came to make decisions about what I wanted to do with my life, painting was a natural first choice,” he said. “I’ve been exploring geometry for 26 years, but also color … it’s something that I forged on my own.

“That’s why I say this is highly personal,” Marin said. “To me, it represents something that I’ve been learning all of my life and represents choices about art that I’m making for the benefit of my own work.”

The titles of the work were described by Marin as lofty or playful, which may allude to something, but not necessarily what viewers are looking at.

“I don’t want the title to suggest anything about the painting, that the painting doesn’t have already,” he said. “So the title is almost like an afterthought.”

Some of them may refer to the birth of his daughter or other life experiences. The title “Weight as Real” was first used in 1993 during his first solo exhibition.

“I see my work as not pointing out certain things, but moreso a state of mind or a dreamlike feeling,” Marin said. “Weight As Real is a passage from something I read and it caught my eye, just like my titles. It just brought an idea that what I’m doing is a very real thing.

“The weight behind my actions are real things,” he continued. “This project that I’ve been carrying for 26 years is a real thing.”

Marin earned a bachelor’s from the University of California-Berkeley and a master’s from Hunter College. As a Latino artist, Marin said his goal is to further the discussion on abstraction, moving it from formalist proposals to a more personal vision. His artistic decisions are also shaped from his experiences from being a Mexican who immigrated to the United States and becoming a citizen. After living in different cities around the world, he now calls Raleigh home.

During his visit to Clinton, he thanked Kara Donatelli, executive director for the Sampson Arts Council, and the organization for allowing him to showcase his work at the historic Small House. He previously displayed his art at the Horace Williams House in Chapel Hill.

“This is another opportunity for me to be involved with historical architecture, historical sites and to be able to take my work throughout North Carolina,” he said.

He recently visited students at Union Middle School for the Fellowship for Collaborative Teaching program through the North Carolina Museum of Art. Marin’s work will be displayed at the Small House through Oct. 17.

“To have him share his talents with the students of Sampson County was a great experience,” Donatelli said. “It’s interesting to see the style of Peter’s work. It’s so different than what most people are used to looking at with contemporary art. We hope everybody will come by to see the skills involved. It’s very detailed and amazing work.”

Peter Marin, center, speaks about his art with Margaret Turlington and Anna Peele.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_Art__1.jpgPeter Marin, center, speaks about his art with Margaret Turlington and Anna Peele. Chase Jordan | Sampson Independent

The Sampson Arts Council, Inc. is hosting Peter Marin’s ‘Weight as Real’ at the Victor R. Small House.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_Art__2.jpgThe Sampson Arts Council, Inc. is hosting Peter Marin’s ‘Weight as Real’ at the Victor R. Small House. Chase Jordan | Sampson Independent

The Victor R. Small House is the site of Peter Marin’s ‘Weight as Real,’ on display through Oct. 17.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_Art__3.jpgThe Victor R. Small House is the site of Peter Marin’s ‘Weight as Real,’ on display through Oct. 17. Chase Jordan | Sampson Independent
Artist shares vision at Small House

By Chase Jordan

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Reach Chase Jordan at 910-249-4617. Follow us on Twitter at @SampsonInd and like us on Facebook.