|
Ross
Bonfanti was born in 1969, Toronto, Canada. A graduate
of Ontario College of Art and Design in 1997, Bonfanti
has worked mainly with found objects and manufactured
materials from the urban landscape. He incorporates
traditional elements of drawing and painting within
his assemblages to bring forth the disturbing, humourous
and beautiful.
Bonfanti is an active member of the Toronto art scene
taking part in numerous projects such as Co-founder
of Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, AWOL Gallery
and Studios and C1 Art Space. His work has been exhibited
and represented by various galleries both in Canada
and abroad as well as held in the national collection
of the Art Bank of Canada Arts Council.
Ross Bonfanti combines the disturbing, humourous and
beautiful. Producing thought-provoking works that are
at once both sculpture and canvas, he brings forth beauty
in the humble and the unexpected. Many of his works
incorporate a sculptural element stemming from his use
of a variety of found materials. Wood, metal, cloth,
plastic and glass as well as manufactured goods as diverse
as shot glasses, toy soldiers and other are combined
and transformed in his work.
Heavy Heads Series. A reoccurring image in my
work has been that of infants. In the series Heavy Heads,
they resurface cast in cement. Here they symbolize the
average urban dweller caught in the midst of routine
occurrences. The distortion of the heads create a sense
of pressure and uneasiness which is meant to remind
us of the constant flow of information and the chaotic
life style to which we have grown accustomed. The awkwardly
frail bodies drawn on wood are symbolic of the weary
and transitory aspect of our existence.
|
|
The
Watchscapes Series is a literal reference to how time
structures the dynamic of the urban existence, incorporates
watch parts and encaustic painting to create a skyline
of a city. Wrist bands, watch faces and various mechanisms
are used for the foundation while the wax and paint form
the atmosphere and surrounding activities.
The Tree Series, which brings the tree back to
wood, uses found pieces recovered from our built surroundings.
I scrape and carve to reveal an impression of each panel’s
origin, while maintaining some of the history of its journey.
The Figurines Series takes abandoned, broken collectables
and repairs them through sculpting and painting. Inspired
by the remnants of each found piece, I embellish on their
imperfections to give altered meanings and a renewed existence.
The Concreatures are cast inner forms of once loved
and cherished plush toys. These stuff animals are frozen
in a petrified state that solidify their importance and
recorded memory through past physical manipulation and
emotional associations.
Galleries featuring Bonfanti's work include:
XEXE
Gallery info@xexegallery.com
(Toronto)
LíAutre
Galerie info@lautregalerie.com
( Montreal)
Rebecca
Hossack Gallery |