Mark Flood AMERICAN, b. 1957

Mark Flood is known for his prankster antics, creating art that mocks American culture and the contemporary art world. For one of Flood's frequent modes of production, he crudely stencils graphic, confrontational statements on found signs, as in _UPDATE YOUR RESUME / BURGER KING_ (2009), or on canvases or cardboard, as in _25 ADDITIONAL PAINTINGS_ (2009). Despite the mocking tone and seemingly slapdash nature of much of his work, Flood also demonstrates mastery and technical prowess in his "lace paintings", such as _Floral Event_ (2009), which are beautifully and meticulously rendered. For these, Flood's process involves laying down layers of paint and lace, then painting the lace directly to create an exquisitely detailed surface.

Based in Houston, Texas, he has remained closely associated with the city's independent art scene while exhibiting internationally. His work has been presented at institutions and galleries including the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, and the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston.

Flood's work has also attracted sustained attention from the international art market. His paintings have appeared at major auction houses and entered significant private and institutional collections, while his approach to painting has influenced a generation of artists working between abstraction, appropriation and popular imagery. The contrast between his deliberately abrasive humour and the considerable technical control, evident across his practice remains one of the defining characteristics of his work.