afrow

Black Girl on the Front Row!

Tag: ABSTRACT

“Seat Of The Sun”

From where

the sun sits,

in, pensive, preparation,

calculating,

whether

to wake up,

or,

hit the snooze button…

figuring,

if night,

will grant a favour

and stay out,

past, celestial curfew…

Where the rays,

remain tucked in,

hunkered down,

in their own,

luminescent warmth..

From there,

is where

the stars give,

quiet, counsel

and the radiance,

takes restful repose,

upon

the fluffed pillows,

of, timely, advice.

This,

is where

the shadows,

usually, change hands,

with precipitation.

Make plans,

to visit planets,

in cycles,

created,

for sustenance

and habitation.

Here,

is where

the solar sonar,

signs the decree,

to, forever,

smile, upon the Universe..

…welcomed,

by a dozing,

collective dawn chorus,

of a brand new,

you,

and

a, brand new,

me.

∗∗

©A_F_R_O_W2021.

All Rights Reserved.

“ChromaZones”

A straight line.

But,

not,

as we know it.

A tonic transition,

that slides,

into spectrums..

ruling, the blankness…

… picking out colours,

like notes,

from a plectrum.

Selecting direction,

with clarity.

The nexus,

of every intention.

Sheer, crystal, brilliance.

Not to mention,

the solar plexus,

of endless invention.

Attention-to-detail,

a given.

Precision enlivens,

with printed inscriptions,

of shape-shifting

screen,

after screen.

Here,

is the

premium product.

A movie of

multiple layers,

in, cross-hatched,

formation.

A series,

in rainbow technique.

Alignments, unique.

A limitless

labour of Love,

through a

Creative prism,

at its,

infinite,

peak.

∗∗

©A_F_R_O_W2021.

All Rights Reserved.

‘DOTTY FOR MATT FORSTER’S UBERART!’

So here’s what you’ll do…

When your soul cries out for sustenance of the extrasensory kind, follow my lead, to the ‘Royal Opera Arcade Gallery’, London, and begin a most fulfilling journey of delicious ‘Über Art’! Created and developed with relentless fervour by the man, whom I like to call ‘Watercolour Wizard’, but whom is better known by the moniker of Matt Forster, this latest exposition is a vibrant testament to all of his dedicated efforts…and being of the ‘über’ variety, there’s more than enough to go around!

Noticeable is the space which houses the majestic collection…

A split-level gallery, flooded by luminescent white-light, akin to that of Skywalker’s sabre…Poised, yet utterly yielding to the array of immersive, wrap-around watercolour works!

Flowing from figurative to abstract, landscape to dreamscape, multicolour to monochromatic, über to klein, each piece immediately resonates with a clarity of purpose and distinctive technical execution, which speaks volumes to the subconscious. Forster is fearless in experimentation… collaging, cutting-out, scraping-back, slicing angles… Each, a willing foil for expressing his vision. In one mesmerising series, he seems to ‘liberate’ paint-spots and yet, contain the liquid movement, so as to become controlled ‘dot-formations’, of ever-increasing tonal and visual depth. In fact, with such gusto for graphics and colour collaborations, you would be forgiven for thinking him a designer of a couture collection for Spring-Summer 2015!

The opportunity to sojourn in the selection of global destinations is wonderful… In a hushed millisecond, collective languages can almost be deciphered exchanging tales of their pictorial formation! ‘Dos Pinturas’, ‘High Noon’ and ‘The Band San Cristobal de las Cases’, masterfully regale of reflective days in sunsoaked climes, whereas ‘Über Autumn’ and ‘Über Pennines’ celebrate the richness to be found amidst the more muted hues of our glorious British Isles. The latter, particularly capturing the masculinity of terrain, with the femininity of undulating hills or rippling waves… Pure, authentic, beautiful and boldly interpreted.

However, I would entreat you not to overeat the enticing wall-mounted fayre, for this is a week of artistic delights which offers even more! Indeed, this selection coincides with the launch of ‘The Art of MJ Forster’, his first, limited edition, retrospective book, the production of which, was made possible by a hugely successful crowd-funding campaign. What you will see displayed is accompanied by what you will get in the stunning publication, produced by ‘The Town and Country Gallery’…so you can snack on further morsels, at leisure!

What I would encourage you most definitely do, is partake of the ‘Über Art’ experience, firsthand… Meet Matt himself. He’s a highly personable and witty character, with an underlying intensity and creative sensibility, in perfect complement to the idiosyncratic medium of watercolour. Assuage that artistic appetite…go on….but be prepared to want, at least, a second helping from such a prolific menu!

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‘The Art of MJ Forster’: A Retrospective Exhibition (and Book Launch) is on now until Saturday 11th October at The Royal Opera Arcade Gallery, 5B Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 4UY.

Books are available for purchase during the exhibition, from ‘The Town and Country Gallery’ and via Matt’s newly revamped website!

***

Afrow-Appreciation to:-

Simon de Pinna and the ROA GAllery for hosting a fabulous P.V and…

… HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Matt Forster….

…‘Über Artist’ extraordinaire and, hopefully, future fashion/fabric designer!

©AFROW2014-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

‘MATT FORSTERs A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH WATERCOLOUR!’

Entering the ‘Über-Painting’ watercolour-world of Matt Forster, is akin to being surrounded by a hall of the most divine mirrors. You’ll find no tricks nor deviations, no jokes at your physical-expense, simply a wall-to-wall reflection of light and shade, masterfully manifested from his soul to your own. Something of the enigmatic follows your every move, at first, present in the means by which the colour seeps into the skin of the paper, then, subtly doing an ‘ole blue eyes’ and sliding beneath your own. In short, his pieces are, quite literally, a breathtaking testament to how intensively enmeshed Matt is with each one and a certain precursor to their effect upon the viewer.

My first Über-experience happened on a day of firsts, at ‘The Other Art Fair’*, whereupon, my inquisitive nature all but galloped a domino-falling tirade of questions, regarding how he did this and why he did that! Indeed, how he managed to answer anything fully, remains a mystery, but answer them, he did…I recall being rather surprised at the candid nature with which he revealed the intricacy of his ever-developing technique…  His website describes it thus, ‘An überpainting is like a silk  screen print in watercolour as they consist of between three and five layers of different coloured paint applied  independently and sequentially darker in tone. I mix colours from a  primary base and it is the application of these successive layers that  provides the images with the startling three dimensional impression.’** In real-time I was becoming further absorbed into the vortex of porous, primary-colour distinctions being reworked and, somewhat, wooed into place by the fluidity of its transparent, watery home. I came away, excited to see a similar aesthetic of simplified line, form and colour, in a new setting, as well as, feeling humbled by such a prolific ability to do so.

My most recent encounter was at ‘The London Illustration Art Fair’, yet another first of its kind! Underneath Hoxton Arches, gorged-to-the-gills with personifications of artesanal collaborations, it was a pleasure to revisit the British Isles through Matt’s viewfinder and, once again, become mesmerised by the works which, this time, seemed more pointedly abstract. But, as I was quickly shown-and-told, there was so much more where they came from, and goodness me, did I see some absolutely incredible examples! Now, I know that you’ll want me to select a favourite…but, quite frankly, I can’t choose just one! Instead, I’ll say that the more abstract, the better, in my book…purely because there is less room for cognitive predictive-processing and rather more space to ‘Sherlock’ the scenes. Just as the white spaces facilitate a void, so too, are you gently guided to feel, think or sense, or not, in your own time…That’s the best you’re going to get!

What I’ll go on to say, however, is that you cannot forego the chance to stand before Matt’s art. It is Über! Not only this, but the guile with which the movement is addressed, from wine-glass (naturally, for mixing purposes), to brush, to full-bleed hue, is so vividly witnessed within each vignette, as to encapsulate the rise-and-fall of a breathing planet. In the Über-painting studies, we have a journal of a Britain which is constantly in flux, thus a keepsake for our unique Isles and an intensely open-book, which grips you, from beginning, to end!

I am truly looking forward, with great expectation, to the next exhibited volume!

**www.mattjforster.com ~ www.facebook.com/MJForsterGallery ~ twitter.com/Matt_Forster/media

 www.thelondonillustrationfair.co.uk/

*afrow.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/an-east-end-love-affair/

©AFROW2013-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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TESTIMONIAL FROM MJ FORSTER

‘Here is a review of an exhibition of mine in London last month. Written by a very talented blogger…Thanks what an amazing article. You really get it! I’ll cut, paste and share it everywhere I can…’

   

‘SPOTLIGHT ON: THE WALKING-WORKS-OF-ART OF ‘KWEKU CLOTHING’!’

…So, by now, you might have detected that I am, somewhat of, a voracious Creative-Arts-lover…and that I am especially passionate about using my own platform to promote the excting results of multidisciplinary cross-fertilisation.

Well, fresh from my EC1 and 2 jaunts and the social-media coverage, thereof, I have noticed that I am being ‘followed’…. by a steady stream of funky, new designers on the fashion-block! The most recent label to become a member of the fashion-fabulous Afrow-Family, is that of ‘Kweku (pronounced Kwayku!) Clothing’. The eponymous clothing-line of Ghanaian-born, London-raised, Goldsmith’s graduate, Kweku Quagraine, this is a brand which majors on making purse-friendly, wallet-welcoming pieces of boldly artistic sartorial statements, yet, without the merest mention of a word! So, naturally, yours truly has seized-the-day and taken up the mantle to spread it for him!

At first glance, his menswear and womenswear pieces are striking! Heavy with symbolism, Quagraine thrives on incorporating his Socio-Political scholastic background into his craft and excels in channelling these influences through the joint-conduits of art and fashion-design. For example, the ‘Trigon’ signature, is a triangular motif, in reference to the map of Africa and in deference to his native roots, whilst ‘The Krypt’ is an intriguing metaphor alluding to the differing perspectives, regarding regional identities. His distinctive flair for originality also comes to the fore in the ‘Tribal’ print, in which heritage-patterns from the Ghanaian Ashanti and Ancient Mayan traditions are beautifully-balanced to produce a new KC hallmark. The geometric ‘Colour’ graphic displays a fearless and insistent use of the spectrum, which draws inspiration from unity-in-diversity, as manifested in the London Olympics of 2012. However, Quagraine finds the Natural World as much of a catalyst as that of the Human, evidenced in ‘The Hive’ honeycomb-logo, itself, a nod to such solidarity and unity, in bees.

It is this effortless meandering through parallel universes, which sets Kweku Clothing apart from many others of its emerging counterparts. Will you find such on-trend silhouettes as the ‘body-con’ dress in midi/maxi-lengths? Undoubtedly. Is there a broad choice of sweatshirts, t-shirts, crop tops and vest-tops? Absolutely! But you’d be hard-pressed to find the same capability for siphoning so many global topics into the fashion-world, in such modern, affordable and accessible ways and furthermore, to do so with such a Fine-Art sensibility!

For all of theses reasons and more, am I championing Kweku Quagraine and urging you to WAKE-UP TO ‘KWEKU CLOTHING’….STANDARD!

www.kwekuclothing.com ~ www.facebook.com/KwekuClothing

©AFROW 2013-2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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TWITTER-TESTIMONIAL FROM KWEKU CLOTHING (@KwekuClothing)!

‘…Thanks very much for such an eloquent and flattering write-up!!’