SOLAR LAP 60

I started this group of paintings on my 60th birthday, around the time of the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, 5 months ago. It is my 60th lap around our Sun. One piece, REPO JINDO, was started two years ago and is included in this set.

The new work is a reflection on life and mortality, and, among other things, my identifying with my cats and with animals in general. Solar Lap 60 is ongoing, and there will be more.

This work had been completed just before I am about to relocate to a better studio/house elsewhere in South Korea.

All images Copyright Paul Fortunato 2022. All rights reserved.

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OPEN SEASON

January 7, 2022

Happy 2022 Everyone.

I now present my new set of 12 paintings titled OPEN SEASON. They were completed over the last 6 months, starting in August 2021.

As in most of my paintings there are layers of interwoven meaning and anecdote. The recurring themes of nature conservation, ethical treatment of animals and commentary on our digital society persist. ‘Open Season’ is a direct reference to trophy hunting. The eco vigilante in me will never go away. There is also the self referential aspect, just like in the last set, ‘Who Am I?’. OPEN SEASON became expansive in scope, encompassing the idea of time, as in the seasons, and the seasons of one’s lifespan. And for additional seasoning, I threw in some sociopolitical heat.

It is inevitable that whatever an artist paints, his or her personal circumstances and state of mind at that moment will find its way into the mix and dominate it.

One night in September 2021 I experienced extreme blood loss from a ruptured hemorrhoid and severe dehydration from diarrhea. I became so weak I collapsed to the floor and injured my face, requiring stitches on my upper lip. I went to the emergency room of the local hospital and was admitted there for 8 days. Before the real cause of the bleeding was detected and corrected with surgery, I required 6 blood transfusions.

Needless to say, the wonderful hospital staff, doctors and anonymous blood donors saved my life. I am grateful to still be alive.

The physical experience of intense rectal anguish and the unforgettable prospect of having almost died naturally found its way into the new work, which had already been in progress for months. I developed a new relationship and perspective on blood, my blood, as I lay around for hours watching the liquid organ slowly enter my depleted bloodstream, drop by drop, from a suspended blood unit.

The hospital downtime was like a mandatory vacation for me. It allowed me time to think about my life, mortality and where will I go from here once I am finished with the professorship. It also made me confront the question of what will happen to my estate, i.e., my life’s output of work, once I am gone. In that sense, OPEN SEASON, with 12 paintings, is my midlife calendar. You pick the painting and you match the month, its open to your interpretation.

A painting in progress is a condensed relationship. From the work’s inception on a blank piece of primed linen, with a few gestural strokes, the conversation begins. The failure rate is high at this stage, and if an image doesn’t work it may take many rewrites before I get any traction. There is also the test of time, which can take weeks to months. Usually at this point I do the mirror test, that is, look at the image backwards in a mirror. If it works backwards, it will also work forwards. When the relationship survives all the hurdles, I will run with it to the logical endpoint. As is my method, I work on the entire set of paintings simultaneously, so there are many conversations going on at the same time. When a piece is done, a sense of emptiness sets in. The relationship is over. The partner is no longer alive.

All works Copyright 2022 Paul Fortunato. All rights reserved.

To view images in Sensurround please open them in a new tab. :]

ROADKILLER 2 ( SORRY THE BRIDGE IS CLOSED)

2021

Acrylic on linen, 166 X 118 cm., 65.5 X 46.75 in.

TROPHY

2021

Acrylic on linen, 167 X 146.5 cm., 65.5 X 57.75 in.

I NEEDED SOME AIR

2021

Acrylic on linen, 167 X 168.5 cm., 66 X 66.5 in.

AMAZING GRACE

2021

Acrylic on linen, 147 X 166.5 cm., 57.5 X 65.75 in.

OUTPATIENT

2021

Acrylic on linen, 167 X 222.5 cm., 65.6 X 87.5 in.

REENTERING EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE (HEAT SHIELD)

2021

Acrylic on linen, 167 X 222.5 cm., 65.75 X 87.5 in.

SHISKABARBERRA AND THE REVENGE OF THE HEMORRHOIDS

2021

Acrylic on linen, 167 X 170.5 cm., 66 X 67 in.

ROADKILLER 3

2021

Acrylic on linen, 167 X 171 cm., 65.5 X 67.5 in.

DON’T FUCK YOURSELF

2021

Acrylic on linen, 166 X 187.5 cm., 65.5 X 74 in.

GIBBONCAT

2021

Acrylic on linen, 167 x 171 cm., 65.5 X 67.5 in.

THE DREADFUL DEATH OF ANOTHER CRUEL, INDIFFERENT DINODOG OWNER MOTHERFUCKER

2021

Acrylic on linen, 166 X 235 cm., 65.5 X 92.25 in.

HERMAPHRODITIC GANESCHENTAUR SAVES ANOTHER BEAR

2021

Acrylic on linen, 167 X 184.5 cm., 66 x 73 in.

WHO AM I?

All works were begun mid January, 2021, and the very last ones were finished on July 30, 2021. 36 paintings.

WHO AM I?

I am the protagonist in every one of these rectangles. They are all self portraits.

For horizontal images please open them in a new tab for optimal viewing. They are all the largest works.

All images Copyright (C) Paul Fortunato 2021. All rights reserved.

BRUSH KILLER

acrylic on canvas

110.5 X 80.5 cm., 43.5 X 32 in.

 

 

DOWN

acrylic on canvas

116.5 X 91 cm., 46 X 36 in.

VULNERABLE

acrylic on canvas

116.5 X 91 cm., 46 X 36 in.

COFFIN NAILER

acrylic on canvas

109 X 95 cm., 43 X 37.25 in.

INSULATING RING OF LIGHT

acrylic on wood crate panel

109 X 81 cm., 43 X 31.75 in.

COMPOUND VISION

acrylic on wooden panel

109 X 72 cm., 43.25 X 28.25 in.

ECHO CHAMBER

acrylic on wooden crate panel

109 X 95 cm., 43 X 37.5 in.

COOLING TOWERS

acrylic on wooden crate panel

119.5 X 121 cm., 47 X 47.75 in.

ARIES

acrylic on linen

140 X 149.5 cm., 55.25 X 59 in.

BACCHUS

acrylic on linen

152 x 114 cm., 60 X 44.75 in.

SELF PORTRAIT WITH LOADED BRUSH

acrylic on linen

160 X 153 cm., 63 X 60 in.

I SEE THINGS IN OTHER THINGS

acrylic on linen

171 X 125 cm., 67 X 49 in.

EMOJI KILLER

acrylic on linen

124 X 170 cm., 49 X 67 in.

THE BRUSH OFF

acrylic on canvas

122 X 172 cm., 48 X 67.75 in.

MIGHTY DRYWALL TAPER

acrylic on canvas

155 X 140 cm., 61.25 X 55 in.

No! YES!

acrylic on canvas

106.5 X 160 cm., 42 X 63 in.

ARCHER (BABY ORANGUTANG)

acrylic on linen

99 X 134 cm., 39.25 X 53 in.

MIGHTY RABBIT

acrylic on linen

110.5 X 80.5 cm., 43.5 X 32 in.

NICE ASS

acrylic on linen

124.5 X 171 cm., 49 X 66.5 in.

ROADKILLER

acrylic on linen

167 X 125 cm., 76.5 X 65.5 in.

THE LOVE LOST CONSTELLATION

acrylic on canvas

194 X 166 cm., 76.5 X 65.5 in.

ANTEATER (SMART CITY)

acrylic on linen

217 X 135 cm., 85 X 53 in.

WET MARKET ESCAPE

acrylic on linen

152 X 185.5 cm., 60 X 73 in.

THE MARATHON RUNNER

acrylic on linen

108 x 218 cm., 43 X 86 in.

FAILING TO FORGET YOU (FOREVER IN MY HEART)

acrylic on linen

139 X 175 cm., 54.5 X 69 in.

UNTITLED (WORKAHOLIC)

acrylic on canvas

167 x 100 cm., 66 x 39.5 in.

OLD KOREAN LADY, RETURNING HOME

acrylic on linen

181.5 X 121 cm., 74 X 48 in.

FACE REMOVAL APP

acrylic on linen

152 X 201 cm., 60 X 79.5 in.

TAIL CHASER

acrylic on linen

152 X 171 cm., 60 X 67 in.

MEIN WAGEN

acrylic on linen

152 X 188 cm., 60 X 74 in.

ALREADY DEAD

acrylic on linen

172 X 224 cm., 66 X 88 in.

SIAMESE TWIN CENTAUR DROWNING HALF OF ITSELF

acrylic on linen

185 X 217 cm., 73.5 X 85 in.

HORSEFLY

acrylic on linen

167 X 266.5 cm., 66 X 105 in.

INFINITE GHARIAL

acrylic on linen

166 X 299 cm., 118 X 65.75 in.

RUFF ‘N’ READY

acrylic on linen

109.5 x 211 cm., 42.75 X 83 in.

JACKALOPE

acrylic on linen

167 X 208 cm., 66 X 83 in.

Hello all.

The year 2020 was a bad year for almost everyone, myself included. I stopped painting entirely and only got my game back since January 2021, after Joe Biden had officially won the presidential election. Since that time I have been working on my new block of paintings titled WHO AM I?

From June 22 to July 4, Will Pertz, a musician and digital sound installation artist, and myself are renting out the cavernous Daejeon Gallery, here in Daejeon, South Korea, for a 12 day ongoing live painting and music performance. During that time I will continue to work on ‘Who Am I?’, finish works, start new ones, and spread them all out to get a good look at all of it before it is finally documented by my photographer friend.

Also participating is Boon, a native Korean painter, and other artists are welcome to find a wall and create.

The gallery was formerly a gymnasium, part of a larger school complex built during the Japanese occupation. I will recreate the Ossining, New York studio experience, back in 2013, when I was able to run in what was a former Opera house. I will turn the gallery into a public studio, bringing all my equipment and supplies.

NEOSIMPLEXITY, Volume 2

The last set of paintings completed before relocating to an old farmhouse. My lockdown block, which, for this natural hermit, has already been a way of life. All created in the Republic of Korea.

To view images at correct relative scale, please right click and open in a new tab.

All works Copyright © 2020 Paul Fortunato, all rights reserved, no copying or use without express permission of the artist.

“I’M WARNING YOU………….”

2020

Acrylic on museum board

20 X 15 in., 50.5 X 38 cm.

IN ORDER TO LIVE, I HAD TO KILL MYSELF (redone and is now a new 2021 work)

2020

Acrylic, painting palettes, and pants on canvas

36 3/4 X 82 1/4 in, 93 X 209 cm.

LA GRANDE JATTE

2020

Acrylic on canvas

82 1/2 X 39 1/8 in., 209.5 X 99 cm

‘CAULDRON OF FIGHTING HUMANS’ PLATTER (painted over and is now a new 2021 work)

2020

Acrylic on canvas

48 X 74 in., 121.5 X 188 cm.

FEVERISH

2020

Acrylic on found painting on mulberry paper with silk border and laminated on wood.

35 1/4 X 36 1/2 in., 89 X 92 cm.

SCHOOL OF ATHENS

2020

Acrylic on canvas

48 X 74 in., 121.5 X 188 cm.

UNTITLED ( SELF PORTRAIT)

2020

Acrylic on canvas

56 X 28 1/4 in., 142 X 72 cm.

GIVE DEINOTHERIUM SOME ( painted over and is now a new 2021 work)

2020

Acrylic on canvas

42 3/4 X 83 in., 109.5 X 211 cm.

SELF PORTRAIT

2020

oil on canvas

21 1/2 X 16 1/4 in., 54 X 41 cm.

SHEEP FACE

2020

Acrylic on museum board

20 X 15 in., 50.5 X 38 cm.

TROUTNADO

2020

Acrylic on masonite

23 3/4 X 311/2 in., 60 X 80 cm.

“QUICK, GET OUT!”

2020

Acrylic and painting palette on masonite

16 X 20 in., 41 X 51 cm.

JAIR BOLSONARO THE FIRE BREATHING MONSTER

2020

Acrylic on wood

41 1/4 X 45 in., 102 X 114.5 cm.

STEGASAUR BURRO

2020

Acrylic on museum board

15 X 20 in., 38 X 50.5 cm.

WICKER TABLESAW

2020

Acrylic on museum board

20 X 15 in., 50.5 X 38 cm.

Study, After Caravaggio.

2020

oil on canvas

20 3/4 X 14 in., 53 X 36 cm.

Study, after Caravaggio.

2020

Colored pencil on black paper

21 1/4 X 15 3/8 in., 54 X 39 cm.

5 MINUTE MITCH McCONNELL

2020

Acrylic on watercolor paper

20 X 14 1/4 in., 50.5 X 36 cm.

BOOMERANG

2020

Acrylic on museum board

15 X 20 in., 38 X 50.5 cm.

ASSASSIN BUG

2020

Acrylic on wood

41 1/2 X 45 in., 105 X 114.5 cm.

NEOSIMPLEXITY AND THE SOUND OF COLOR

New 2019 Paintings Completed Just As The Year Ended.

Let’s call this Volume 1, as I am already at work on Volume 2, with a deeper exploration of similar themes. In this set, itself an expansion on SIMPLEXITY from earlier last year, I express my views on Environmentalism, the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Childhood Memories, Nature’s Revenge, Death by Bandwidth, and of course, Music. Where would humanity be without it, especially now, in these dark times? Where would I be, if I were not able to paint to it? In a hospital maybe, missing one or both ears. The family next door is completely unaware that I am blissfully losing my mind, taking on today’s big issues with a loaded brush. In the relative safety of my Sony MDR-RF985RK wireless stereo headphones, despite being within farting range of North Korea’s WMDs, nobody can touch me.

To view horizontal images at correct scale please open them in a new tab. Thank you.

All works acrylic on canvas.

Copyright © 2020 Paul Fortunato. All rights reserved.

IRISES 2

105.5 X 185.5 cm, 41.5 X 73 in.

THE BRIDGE

182.5 X 228 cm, 72 X 90 in.

TXTING WHILE CONCERT GOING

200 X 70 cm, 78 3/4 X 27 3/4 in

DADDY MOMMY

133 X 139.5 cm, 52 1/4 X 55 in

MY PHONE IS SO SMART

156.5 X 96 cm, 61 3/4 X 37 3/4 in

AIR GUITAR

147 X 195.5 cm, 58 X 77 in.

CHAMBERED ORCHESTRA (AQUAMETAL)

195.5 X 147.5 cm, 77 X 58 in.

MANTA SLOTH

Acrylic on canvas with attached painting palette.

180 X 100 cm, 71 X 39.5 in.

GIRL BAND

203 X 93 cm, 80 X 36 3/4 in.

MANTIS

54 X 129.5 cm, 21 1/4 X 51 in.

PLEASE SAY ‘NO’ TO FUR. THANK YOU.

182.5 X 228 cm, 72 X 90 in.

IT CAN BE.

54 x 104 cm, 21 1/4 X 41 in.