Chris Mars

Chris Mars was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1961, the youngest of seven children. When Mars was five years old, his eldest brother, Joe, was institutionalised for Schizophrenia. Memories of the archaic institution, society’s prejudgment, medical anonymity and familial shame had a profound impact on the young Mars, setting him on a life path of creative expression seeking to “…free the oppressed; to champion the persecuted, and the submissive; to liberate through revelation the actualised Self in those proposed by some to have no self at all.” Mars’ work has exhibited in many museums worldwide.
In addition to his painting, Mars is an accomplished musician. He released four solo albums (on Polygram and Bar None) subsequent to his tenure as drummer in The Replacements, a band he helped found in 1979 with Bob Stinson, Tommy Stinson and Paul Westerberg.

Submitted by Beinart Gallery