Coal Gospel
01/05/09 19:00 Filed in: Tanner Theatre
Monongalia Arts Center
proudly features:
Coal Gospel
photography by Honor Forte
ONE NIGHT ONLY
Tanner Theatre
Friday May 1, 2009 7-9:00 P.M.
This is a short term installation featuring the rich imagery of photographer Honor Forte.
One of the defining elements of West Virginia will be the topic of a one-day only exhibition in the Tanner Theatre at the Monongalia Arts Center: coal. On May 1, 2009, photographer and printmaker, Honor Forte, will exhibit his photographs in a show entitled “Coal Gospel”.
For Forte, a native of Wheeling, art always had a presence in his life. Both his mother and his grandfather, a coal miner, were artists, and Forte explained, “Both Printmaking and Photography have been things I’ve done since I was in high school, and I’ve known since I was really young that I wanted to be a photographer for the rest of my life, but most importantly I’ve wanted to be an artist since as long as I can remember.” In addition to being an artist and showing work around Morgantown, Forte is also the Art Director for Sozo Café on High Street.
“Coal Gospel” will be Forte’s first solo show, and in this exhibition he blends spirituality with everyday life. Specifically, Forte said, “With this work I’m linking coal - something natural and concrete that I can relate to because of my grandfather and the State I grew up in - with an idea of recreation and new life found in the gospel.”
When Ro Brooks, Executive Director of MAC, saw Forte’s extreme close-up photography of his subject, she knew it would be a thought-provoking and timely exhibition. “When you see these photographs, you almost get lost in them – they feel so large until you remember what you are looking at. I think it is especially relevant to our community since coal has such an intimate history with our State.”
Forte talked about some of the inspiration behind his current work: “I make the work for self fulfillment mainly. It gives me purpose to retell stories and concepts I've had experiences with. The one of the Gospel of Christ is the most important to me, so I'm trying to find new ways of relating to and retelling the story.” Forte will graduate in May from WVU with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and plans to pursue graduate studies in the future.
The opening reception for “Coal Gospel” will be Friday, May 1, 2009 from 7:00PM to 9:00PM in the Tanner Theatre of the Monongalia Arts Center. The reception is free and open to the public, and the Tanner Theatre is accessible to those with disabilities. A special one-day exhibition, “Coal Gospel” will only be on exhibition May 1st. For more information, please visit the MAC website at www.monartscenter.com or call 304-292-3325.
proudly features:
Coal Gospel
photography by Honor Forte
ONE NIGHT ONLY
Tanner Theatre
Friday May 1, 2009 7-9:00 P.M.
This is a short term installation featuring the rich imagery of photographer Honor Forte.
One of the defining elements of West Virginia will be the topic of a one-day only exhibition in the Tanner Theatre at the Monongalia Arts Center: coal. On May 1, 2009, photographer and printmaker, Honor Forte, will exhibit his photographs in a show entitled “Coal Gospel”.
For Forte, a native of Wheeling, art always had a presence in his life. Both his mother and his grandfather, a coal miner, were artists, and Forte explained, “Both Printmaking and Photography have been things I’ve done since I was in high school, and I’ve known since I was really young that I wanted to be a photographer for the rest of my life, but most importantly I’ve wanted to be an artist since as long as I can remember.” In addition to being an artist and showing work around Morgantown, Forte is also the Art Director for Sozo Café on High Street.
“Coal Gospel” will be Forte’s first solo show, and in this exhibition he blends spirituality with everyday life. Specifically, Forte said, “With this work I’m linking coal - something natural and concrete that I can relate to because of my grandfather and the State I grew up in - with an idea of recreation and new life found in the gospel.”
When Ro Brooks, Executive Director of MAC, saw Forte’s extreme close-up photography of his subject, she knew it would be a thought-provoking and timely exhibition. “When you see these photographs, you almost get lost in them – they feel so large until you remember what you are looking at. I think it is especially relevant to our community since coal has such an intimate history with our State.”
Forte talked about some of the inspiration behind his current work: “I make the work for self fulfillment mainly. It gives me purpose to retell stories and concepts I've had experiences with. The one of the Gospel of Christ is the most important to me, so I'm trying to find new ways of relating to and retelling the story.” Forte will graduate in May from WVU with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and plans to pursue graduate studies in the future.
The opening reception for “Coal Gospel” will be Friday, May 1, 2009 from 7:00PM to 9:00PM in the Tanner Theatre of the Monongalia Arts Center. The reception is free and open to the public, and the Tanner Theatre is accessible to those with disabilities. A special one-day exhibition, “Coal Gospel” will only be on exhibition May 1st. For more information, please visit the MAC website at www.monartscenter.com or call 304-292-3325.