Alberto Porro

The subjects of my paintings are biomorphic abstractions that reflect my formal interest in fundamental forms. I depict objects that are neither socially nor economically specific, and do not come from any knowable sights of material cultural production. Even if the subject matter I explore sits outside the realm of recognizable symbolic forms, my work is aesthetically rooted in the history of still life - particularly in the Straight Photography era. I frame my abstract subjects with the same objectivity that one can find in Edward Weston’s photos of vegetables. Through my preliminary freehand drawing phase, I distill everyday life objects, art I've seen, drawings I previously made, and natural forms that caught my attention. This process of distillation allows the forms to become essentialized into something that fluctuates between the icon and the floating signifier.

Alberto Porro was born in Milan, Italy in 1986. He received a BFA in Print Media from the Brera Academy of Fine Art in 2011. He moved to Montréal in 2017, where he lives and works.