Phil Frost
The Lion Approaches by the American artist Phil Frost (b. Jamestown, New York, 1973) is a project that spans his work of the last two decades, with a special focus on his latest works. The exhibition shows these recent works, produced over the course of the six years from 2016 to 2021, alongside some of his most emblematic pieces, so that viewers can appreciate more deeply some of the characteristics of his unique creative process. Frost’s style combines the sharpness and fluidity of urban art, incorporating found materials, with the elegance of a pictorial aesthetic in which geometric schemes dominate and lend dynamism to his complex compositions.
Tourniquet (left) and Accumulated Field of Perceptive Experience (right)
The exhibition includes such significant works as the diptych Accumulated Field of Perceptive Experience (2002 – 2014) and the monumental Divergence of Opinion (2014 – 2018), two magnificent examples that formed part of his Magnetic Shift, the first major solo exhibit to be mounted at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, New York. That show places him among the small group of artists chosen to exhibit their works in conversation with those of the Rockefeller Collection, which contains pieces by Clyfford Still, Naum Gabo, Ellsworth Kelly, and David Smith, among others. Frost acknowledges these masterpieces as inspirations for him at the beginning of his career as a self-taught artist in the 1990s.
Untitled (left) and Collapse of Fleeting Experience (right)
Frost’s career started in the alternative New York scene with the graffiti movement, creating images of great expressive power, recognizable by the juxtaposition of white patterns, symbols, and letters, all layered in depth. He defines his personal visual language as “comprised of a depth of layered sinuous sheaths of glyphic information that I refer to as intuitive mathematics; they are overlaid and dance atop figurative busts and repetitions or grids of heads that I call perceptive portraiture”, which he uses to express sensory experience through visual gesture. These figures, reminiscent of primitive art and evoking tribal masks or totemic sculptures, are complemented by geometric patterns and graphic signs that are repeated rhythmically in the various planes, generating a structure that is articulated both by chromatic intensity and by the contrast between positive and negative space.
It was archaeological walks in rural areas of western Massachusetts during his childhood that sparked his interest in incorporating into his works all kinds of recovered objects—including pages from comics and newspapers, boxes, bottles, jars, buttons, leaves, feathers, plates, cloth, baseball bats, boxing gloves, locks, keys, paintbrushes, numbers, and metal letters. He recontextualizes these found elements within the framework that modulates the pictorial surface, canvases built up with layers of acrylic, spray enamel, correction fluid, ink, and paper. The three-dimensionality of the reused elements gives real volume to the pieces, as can be appreciated in those where the supports are used doors that he has salvaged and which have a prominent place in this exhibition. The long period of time spent in making these works becomes a metaphor for the lees left by time in our existence, which collide with the sediments of other eras’ objects and, at the same time, engage in dialogue with the viewer’s present.
Collapse of Fleeting Experience
Synthetic polymer, spray enamel, correction fluid, ink, paper,
boxing gloves, baseball bat, wooden box, bobbin, tin,
and various found materials on found mattress
193 x 96 x 35 cm / 76 x 38 x 13.78 in
Collapse of Fleeting Experience (detail)
Hegemony Coalescing, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid, ink, paper, various found materials on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
208,5 x 107 x 13 cm / 82 x 42 x 5 in
(diptych)
Hegemony Coalescing, 2016 - 2021 (detail)
Hegemony Coalescing, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid,
ink, paper, metal, bottle caps, various found materials
on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
206 x 96,5 x 23 cm / 81 x 38 x 9 in
(diptych)
Stare of a Quiet Command, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid,
ink, paper, canvas fragments, various found materials
on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
193 x 74 x 18 cm / 76 x 29 x 7 in
(diptych)
Stare of a Quiet Command, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid, ink, paper,
various found materials on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
201 x 86,5 x 25,5 cm / 79 x 34 x 10 in
(diptych)
Draped Busts of a Precipitous Drop & Rise, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid, ink, paper,
various found materials on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
206 x 84 x 23 cm / 81 x 33 x 9 in
Draped Bust of Long Mouth Bottle Neck Riding for a Fall, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid,
ink, paper, coins, various found materials
on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
213,5 x 84 x 20,5 cm / 84 x 33 x 8 in
Bull Sable Whipping Wrists Draped as Busts, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid,
ink, paper, can with nubs, various found materials
on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
208,5 x 96,5 x 23 cm / 82 x 38 x 9 in
Draped Bust of 7 Tail Feathers , 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid, ink, paper, various found materials on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
211 x 84 x 18 cm / 83 x 33 x 7 in
Draped Bust of 7 Tail Feathers, 2016 - 2021 (back view)
Rung Badge of Hardiness Draped as Bust, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid, ink, paper,
various found materials on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
216 x 90 x 28 cm / 85 x 35.43 x 11 in
Draped Bust of Blood Striped Trousers, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid, ink, paper,
broken ceramics, twig, barnacles, wood, various found materials
on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
206 x 84 x 23 cm / 81 x 33 x 9 in
Divergence of Opinion, 2014 - 2018
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid,
ink, paper, brush, tin cans, nails, bottle caps,
various found materials on canvas wrapped wooden panel
213 x 305 x 21 cm / 83.86 x 120 x 8.27 in
Divergence of Opinion, 2014 - 2018 (detail)
Sheath of Infinity, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid, ink, paper,
various found materials on canvas wrapped on found wooden door. Double sided
180,5 x 66 x 15,5 cm / 71 x 26 x 6 in
Accumulative Field of Perceptive Experience, 2002 - 2014
Acrylic, spray enamel, correction fluid, paper, found materials, various glass bottles and jars, on two canvas wrapped wooden panels
244 x 244 x 26 cm / 96 x 96 x 10.24 in
Accumulated Field of Perceptive Experience, 2002 - 2014 (detail)
Tourniquet, 2007 - 2013
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid,
ink, paper, canvas trimmings, nails, bottle caps, tin can lids,
various debris collected from street on canvas wrapped wooden panel
274 x 213,5 x 15 cm / 107.87 x 84 x 6 in
Touniquet (left) and Accumulated Field of Perceptive Experience (right)
Draped Bust Staring Into Depths of Consideration, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid,
ink, paper, palm tree, various found materials
on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
208,5 x 84 x 15,5 cm / 82 x 33 x 6 in
Lifting Stars Spangled Draped Bust, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid, ink, paper,
various found materials on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
206 x 69 x 18 cm / 81 x 27 x 7 in
Whisper Ridged White Capped Crossing Toe, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid,
ink, paper, coins, various found materials
on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
183 x 69 x 20,5 cm / 72 x 27 x 8 in
Whisper Ridged White Capped Crossing Toe, 2016 - 2021 (detail)
Whisper Ridged White Capped Crossing Toe, 2016 - 2021 (detail)
Penny Clad Luminescence of a Supernova
Poised Still as Draped Bust, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid, ink, paper,
various found materials on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
185,5 x 81,5 x 20,5 cm / 73 x 32 x 8 in
Penny Clad Luminescence of a Supernova
Poised Still as Draped Bust, 2016 - 2021 (back view)
Draped Bust of Hungry Horse Bitterroot Junction, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid,
ink, paper, old doorknob, various found materials
on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
196 x 63,5 x 30,5 cm / 77 x 25 x 12 in
Draped Bust Splintered Rhyme Standing Straight, 2016 - 2021
Synthetic polymer, emulsion, spray enamel, correction fluid, ink, paper, various found materials on canvas wrapped on found wooden door
206 x 63,5 x 18 cm / 81 x 25 x 7 in
Bust of Intuitive Force, 2007 - 2014
Ink, synthetic polymer, spray enamel, correction fluid, paper on canvas
101 x 76 x 4 cm / 40 x 30 x 1.57 in
Untitled, 2006 - 2014
Synthetic polymer, spray enamel, ink, correction fluid, paper on canvas
30,5 x 30,5 x 6 cm / 12 x 12 x 2.28 in
Untitled, 2005 - 2007 - 2014
Ink, synthetic polymer, spray enamel, correction fluid, paper, attached
painted wooden baseball bat on canvas wrapped wooden panel
85,5 x 58,5 x 5,5 cm / 33.66 x 23 x 2.17 in
Untitled, 2012 - 2014
Ink, synthetic polymer, spray enamel, correction fluid, paper
on wooden baseball bat and wooden panel
86,5 x 18 x 10 cm / 34 x 7 x 4 in
Untitled, 2006 - 2014
Synthetic polymer, ink, spray enamel, correction fluid,
paper on canvas wrapped wooden panel
30,5 x 30,5 x 6 cm / 12 x 12 x 2.36 in
Untitled
Ink on paper
29 x 20,5 cm / 11.5 x 8 in
42,5 x 35 x 3 cm / 16.73 x 13.78 x 1.18 in (framed)
Untitled, 2009
Ink on paper
31 x 21,5 cm / 12.2 x 8.5 in
37,5 x 30 x 3 cm / 14.76 x 11.81 x 1.18 in (framed)
Head of Liminal Persistence, 2006 - 2014
Ink, synthetic polymer, correction fluid, spray enamel,
paper on canvas wrapped wooden panel
30,5 x 30,5 x 6 cm / 12 x 12 x 2.36 in
Untitled, 2010 - 2014
Ink, synthetic polymer, spray enamel, correction fluid, paper
on wooden baseball bat and wooden panel
86,5 x 18 x 10 cm / 34 x 7 x 4 in
Untitled
Ink, synthetic polymer, spray enamel, correction fluid,
paper and cloth on canvas
76 x 51 x 3,5 cm / 30 x 20 x 1.38 in
One Head of Transient Experience, 2004 - 2006 - 2014
Ink, synthetic polymer, correction fluid, spray enamel on canvas
30,5 x 30,5 x 3,5 cm / 12 x 12 x 1.38 in
Untitled, 2007 - 2013
Acrylic, spray enamel, correction fluid, ink, paper on canvas
101,5 x 76 x 3,5 cm / 40 x 30 x 1.38 in
