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MARK FLORIDA    gallerybiographyphd exhibitionfeatured pressfeatured press

Mark Florida has been an artist and photographer in St. Louis for 25 years. The former engineering graduate is perhaps best known for his photographs of St. Louis landmarks and high profile events, including the statue of King Louis (under the Arch!), the Forest Park Balloon races, and the Botanical Gardens.

His current body of work, however, has a more political tone. Combining the nostalgic aesthetic of World War II with architectural photography, Florida creates a hip 21st century propaganda campaign that is as visually satisfying as it is wickedly satirical. The artist photographs time worn buildings in St. Louis and, using digital techniques, "paints" them with propaganda posters that are hybrids of his original paintings and slogans from WWII posters. The resulting 40" x 60" ultrachrome images, limited to editions of five prints, are vibrant portraits of architecture as well as a political commentary on contemporary culture, the war on terror, and the environment. Beautifully rendered and disturbingly humorous, each image contains the illogical directive: "Buy Mark's Art or the terrorists win."

Florida has lectured on plein air painting and art conservation at Universities and to Art Groups in Missouri. In 1999 he co-founded the Missouri Plein Air Painters Association, and as its Exhibition Manager, helped to promote this painting style throughout Missouri. He has worked as both a professional photographer and portrait painter, but now concentrates on doing fine art which comments on the times in which we live. Florida is also the bassist and a vocalist for Boo Boo Davis and the Blues Cats!

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