New York, NY – From February 18 to March 19, 2016, Forum Gallery will present Paul Fenniak: New Paintings. The Montreal figurative artist, whose complex narratives are the product of autobiography, dreams, art historical references and implications for contemporary life, has produced the fifteen paintings in the exhibition since his last exhibition at Forum in 2009.
In his essay for the catalogue of the exhibition, Douglas F. Maxwell writes,
What Fenniak emphasizes is the uncanny, which, taken in terms of quantum physics, could be interpreted as all outcomes are possible. …That is the power of superstition, and, as Freud pointed out, why obsessive and compulsive behaviors are so absurd yet so difficult to break. Fenniak manages to push that button in the very place in us that touches on our vulnerability.
While Paul Fenniak’s characters do implausible and unreadable things, they seem totally unaware that their actions are out of the ordinary. His painting style is fully traditional, exhibiting luminous surface, attention to detail, and masterful modeling. But his subjects are contemporary, and his themes are imaginary, leading to a palpable sense of uncertainty and an ineffable, compelling quality.
Paul Fenniak was born in Toronto, Canada in 1965. He received his MFA from Concordia University, Montreal; and his BFA from Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada. His work has been exhibited in museums from Naples, Florida to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada; and is collected throughout the United States and Canada.
Paul Fenniak: New Paintings opens with a reception for the artist on February 18 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and will be on view through March 19, 2016. A full color catalogue accompanies the exhibition.
Forum Gallery is located at 730 Fifth Avenue at 57th Street, Second Floor, New York, NY 10019. The exhibition continues through Saturday, March 19, 2016. Forum Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and closed on Sundays, Mondays and holidays. For further information, please contact Kevin Dao, 212-355-4545; kevin@forumgallery.com