Statement

I don't feel joy when I paint. My ideas come from my subconscious. When we sleep, our subconscious spits out a collection of images and thoughts in the form of dreams, and we can later interpret them as we want. But what do they really mean? I try to dive into the depths of my psyche and hunt down my traumas and old wounds. I fight them, and they help me understand who I am. Often while painting, I attempt to go into a hypnagogic state where I stay on the crossroads between waking and sleeping, thereby pushing the boundary between reality and the subconscious.

I vividly remember how we were taught in school, how equal we are, and how we were promised a rich and free future. And yet the future is here, and we are ruled by pedophiles and criminals. Still. It has always been that way. And we don't want to do anything about it. We like it. Humanity is actually a huge group of masochists.

Biography

Márius Záruba is an artist based in Dublin with roots in Slovakia. His love for art began at primary school, where an art club teacher and visual artist, Pavel Petráš Jr., with his enthusiasm and philosophy, inspired him to start an artistic journey. Shortly after graduating high school, he emigrated to Ireland hungry for experiences and chasing new opportunities and ideas.

Márius has always been obsessed with anatomy since his early life. In his work, he plays with the proportions and shapes of human body, placing us into his cold, dreamy landscapes. Using oil paints, he creates an anxious atmosphere with a true horror aesthetic. Nightmares are a main source of inspiration. He builds a whole idea around his dream and uses eroticism as a vessel to refer to sociopolitical struggles or mental health.