Selected Review Extracts
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“Mackenzie is a genius at improvising. He rarely alters his material. Rather, he accepts it physically as found, then rearranges it to create new persona. To an artist like Mackenzie, a piano is a gold mine…” Isaacson, Philip “In the Arts: ‘The Inspired Hand’” Portland Press Herald, February 12, 2012
"Edward's work makes me smile with my mind." Curtis Brown, Artist, July 28, 2010 “Edward Mackenzie calls himself an ‘Assemblagist.’ His work is nothing less than the ‘alchemy of transformation.’ Just as his glue bonds the components, so do his ideas hold his art together. Each piece is strong with the cohesion of his experience, interest and imagination, and that makes him eminently accessible.” Robbins, Don “Out of the Blue” Hallowell Record, July 7, 2009 “Mackenzie makes art that invites viewers to see commonplace objects in a new way.” Reynolds, Sarah E “With a deft and humorous touch, ordinary objects become art” Capital Weekly, May 7, 2009 “Mackenzie appreciates how things fit together - how parts from a piano or a deck of cards or blocks of wood could come together with something else to form something unlikely, beautiful and thematically cohesive.” Keyes, Bob “Found-object lesson” Maine Sunday Telegram, August 19, 2007 “His strongly designed sculptures resonate with wit, charm, humor, a whiff of nostalgia and deeper, allegorical meanings.” Ascrizzi, Lynn “Art with Wit” Kennebec Journal Sunday, June 24, 2007 “Through his perceptive eye it seems as though the viewer is seeing a visual representation of a thought, like a Platonic piano is imagining itself and the parts are about to come alive and assemble themselves.” Paige, Ian “Treasured trash 'Lost and Found' is rich with experience" The Portland Phoenix, October 18, 2006 “Another in a long line of exhibitions where Edward Mackenzie makes brilliant use of materials as diverse as bicycle seat frames, a steel rule and fence strainers.” McNamara, T.J. “Assemblages, Edward Mackenzie” New Zealand Herald, June 25, 2001 “It’s gloriously obvious he loves to use both hands and brain, the ideas behind these works are completely original.” Corner, Katy “Concoction of Ideas” The Voice New Zealand, June 22, 2000 “Unsung genius of miniature wall-sculpture, Edward Mackenzie” O’Brien, G. “Solid account of sculptural practice” The Dominion, February 27, 1999 “Mackenzie’s work, which is accomplished, can be seen in its totality for its graphic qualities. And he is a master at this. His work draws you across a room. It looks great and you can’t resist it.” Isaacson, Philip “Complementary art frames the Fitzpatrick” Maine Sunday Telegram, August 3, 1997 “There is also a rhythm running through the exhibit, almost as if music is being played. As with all of Mackenzie’s work we are asked to see, with him, the particular beauty and meaning of components, little scraps crafted to do a job, that give delight when put into a new context. The work comes from a particularly fertile and sensitive mind.” Jacks, Shirley “Pianoworks: Assemblages by Edward Mackenzie” Art New England April/May 1996 “Odes to the human spirit” Isaacson, Philip “Audience” Maine Sunday Telegram, August 29, 1993 “That great collector and manipulator of unregarded artifacts, Edward Mackenzie” McNamara, T.J. “Sculpture enhances rich week” New Zealand Herald, April 14, 1984 “All of Mackenzie’s work - whether collage sculpture or drawing - reveals a sophistication of concept” “Out of the Ordinary” America’s Graphic Design Magazine: Print May/June 1965 |
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