Paper on watercolor paper, 6 x 6 in.
Forestter Cobalt's work weaves nostalgia and mystery, where the layering of comic book panels reveals a palette of muted textures, timeworn colors, and disjointed typography. His compositions, abstract and fragmented, draw us into vast, quiet realms. Stripping the familiar icons of pop culture to such abrupt minimalism, Cobalt captures an arresting emptiness, an alien tranquility in the spaces left unspoken.
Paper on watercolor paper, 10 ¼ x 7 ½ in.
"My work with collage is about focusing on ignored or seemingly inessential elements and bringing them into focus. In working with comic books I explore the concept of a lack of narrative direction when the most important elements are removed, and organize the remains into visual abstraction. I'm interested in how a comic book can be read without characters or dialogue or even cohesive backgrounds. I'm also fascinated by reducing illustrations down into the most basic signs and meanings, and simplifying the language."
Paper on watercolor paper, 10 ¼ x 7 ½ in.
"For a while I've been concerned with inessential or minor elements of illustrations that would often be ignored as they don't serve a particularly important narrative purpose. A sense of emptiness tends to be a predominant theme I'm working with, either through a degree of minimalism or through visual subject matter, for example the literal illustrations of empty landscapes. Since I grew up in Colorado, I've become fascinated by the familiarity of the world represented in Western comics and the chance to reframe some of the American mythology. I've also enjoyed examining the vernacular of little kids' comics and collage has given me a way to make use of ones from my childhood."
Paper on watercolor paper, 8 ½ x 5 in.
Paper on watercolor paper, 10 ¼ x 7 ½ in.
"Sometimes I start with a color palette, sometimes I start with like imagery, sometimes I start with a loose concept, but it depends on the source material. Sometimes I build layer on top of layer and cut away sections, looking for new relationships or juxtapositions, or I glue together all manner of smaller bits and pieces around specific images. I organize the whole of the collage before I glue it down so I can study it for a while. Despite that I often make last minute impulsive decisions."
paper on watercolor paper, 10 ¼ x 8 in.
"I think that artists are becoming very immersed in abstraction and I wonder if that will become less compelling and what directions people will take. As source materials from the mid-century become more sparse, I think we'll start to see work done with more contemporary source material which by itself may change the general look and feel of the work we see, perhaps a 1980s sort of super colorful minimalism. It's so difficult to predict."
Paper on watercolor paper, 10 ¼ x 7 ½ in.
Forestter Cobalt was born in 1969 in Denver, Colorado. He is currently based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
For Your Viewing Pleasure
Anne De Gelas is an artist based in Brussels who creates highly personal work related to family, mortality, and being a woman. Using self-portraiture, collaborative images, text, and sketches she creates diaristic books that reveals hidden narratives of life, love, and loss.
Studio Kiösk, specializes in graphic design that blends everyday objects with accumulated images. Their work emphasizes a playful, innovative approach, with designs marked by the appropriation of images.
Cloro is an Italian illustrator and art director born in Rome in 1973, who transitioned from advertising to illustration and, since 2018, to photography. He co-founded la Bestia Collective and established Lato Paper, an independent publishing house focused on multidisciplinary contemporary art.
Since 2018, Thibault Tourmente has delved into visual archival projects under the series "Inventaire Déraisonné." They produce juxtaposed imagery that culminates in limited edition books.
Thomas Vandenberghe, a Belgian photographer from Ghent, specializes in creating small, intimate photographs, often using flash to impart a snapshot-like quality. His work with silver gelatin prints is characterized by repetition, blurring, and tearing, each technique underscoring a deliberate process of exploration. Vandenberghe's works are represented by Gallery Stieglitz 19 in Antwerp.
Out and About
What to watch, read, and experience, as curated by the Collé team.
VISIT
New York Art Book Fair 2024
April 25 - April 28.
Taking place in Chelsea, just around the corner from Printed Matter’s bookstore, the NY Art Book Fair (NYABF) is the leading international event for the distribution of artists’ books. Exhibitors include a broad range of artists, collectives, publishers, institutions, galleries, antiquarian booksellers, and distributors.
VISIT
Rachel Libeskind – Good Morning, Beautiful!
April 18 - May 23.
Rachel Libeskind is an artist whose research-based practice examines the construction of history and the enduring power of images. Working across collage, installation, video and performance, Libeskind appropriates and recontextualizes images in order to disrupt imposed boundaries.
LISTEN
Elkka – I Just Want To Love You
Elkka's single ‘I Just Want To Love You,’ follows her expansive EP ‘Harmonic Frequencies.’ The track samples John Martyn's ‘Small Hours,’ reflecting a significant connection for Elkka and her partner, Alexandra Lambert. It represents a fusion of Elkka's evolving sound and personal influences, continuing her exploration of deep, emotive music.
