What: Manifest by Aristotle Forrester
Where: The Object Center, 460-B Harrison Avenue
When: 7/1/16, 5-9pm
Lowdown: “essentially Manifest is about the solidification of energy through painting” says Forrester; “[so people] manifest the sensations inside of themselves that they see in the work. I want them to create the summation of my painting inside of themselves. They are about feeling… and like spiritual recharging” Like a battery that stores subconscious thoughts but electrifies when contained, Forrester’s work engages with a blitz of paint dabs. “I want them to be interactive, I feel like people can manifest their perspectives within my work. By using the energy I put down in my paint people can use that to manifest their own unique atmospheric experiences.”
I managed to quickly catch up with Aristotle the night before the show: “This whole experience, what I thought a solo show was going to be is even more before the opening is even out.” Seemed to sum it up pretty well, after all it is his first solo show though he has had work presented both at The Object Center and Matter and Light Gallery.
When I asked him what the opportunity that brought manifest was, and how it came to light, Forrester stated: “The overall goal as a painter that I’ve been trying to achieve is a new level of abstraction. One that couples both the metaphysical and the spiritual with the very classical and conservative techniques of oil painting.”
To his mind, His work differs from other abstract strains running around nowadays such as crapstraction and zombie formalism. Aristotle mentioned his ties to classical work, and the “purity of renaissance oil painting” in particular. But what he brings to the metaphysical table so to speak is a preciousness in abandon: “I believe every mark is precious and has it’s place, in paintings coalescing over years of experience. My ability as a painter is to harness these other spaces and achieve a connection. I think it’s different that my paintings are very real, sometimes more real than life itself. [My paintings are] conservative in that it’s constructed from scratch [alongside the] composition but alluring in the abstract expressionist markmaking techniques. “
What you’ll get: a man who’s : ”…breathing life back into abstract expressionist movement for today;’s market.” But asked if he’d call himself a zombie formalist? “No I’d call myself an abstract existentialist.”
Aristotle Forrester on this first Friday of July presents his solo show: Manifest at the Object Center Gallery, 460-B Harrison opening from 5-9 and running through July.
You can also check out his work on his website.
