Originally from Prague but currently living and working in Malaga, Spain, Marie Ban brings a cultural and aesthetic alchemy to her paintings: Central-European humor, Mediterranean lushness, plus a fair amount of myth and ritual. Whether she´s painting a glowing view of mythical cities, a desiccated ocean bed, or an alien landscape, her topics are anchored in human feelings. Her themes include the anguish of isolation but also the beauty of solitude, as well as the enigmatic nature of existence and the intimate redemptive rituals upon which we rely. A giddy surrealism adds tension to her works, and yet her subjects reside not in abstract locations but familiar backgrounds and landscapes of rock-strewn hills. Using these personally meaningful locales in her work strengthens Marie's playful surrealism, as well as deepens the intimacy of her chosen topics.

Marie Ban has achieved a rare balance between acknowledging the isolation in the world as well as the deeply intimate significance which can be unearthed there.