The Ministry is pleased to announced the addition of a new event to our calendar for 2011. On February 24 from 7-9pm, members are invited to visit the studio of Dorian FitzGerald, an artist who has quite suddenly, it seems, become one of the most important painters in Toronto. Though he only recently began showing his work, his CV already boasts exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, Art Toronto 2010, and Clint Roenisch Gallery. The important Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal recently acquired a massive work. His epically-scaled and labour-intensive paintings depict images of extravagance, opulence and excess.
Dorian's subject matter generally explores extremely exclusive places such as the throne room of Portugal's Queluz National Palace, Stefano Gabbana's private yacht dining room, and Sir Elton John's sunglasses collection closet. Though the content of his work seems to criticize overconsumption as it documents material and spatial excess, Dorian's grand paintings are made with a remarkable attention to the characteristic details of the objects of over-the-top wealth.
Because his works are so large and are crafted with extreme amounts of paint and time, Dorian's production process is unique, requiring the large works to be laid flat on his studio floor. In a slow and precise manner, the artist hovers above the works on a handcrafted purpose-built dolly, and applies liquid acrylic paint from above. (The works can be as large as twelve by eighteen feet, weigh 250 pounds, and take more than three years to complete.) Dorian has kindly invited members of The Ministry into his studio to witness his newest pieces as they are created and to discuss his paintings, his elaborate production process, and extreme opulence in contemporary culture.
Dorian FitzGerald is represented by Clint Roenisch Gallery in Toronto.
