I’m a multidisciplinary artist from New York City, currently based in Portland, Oregon. When I’m not doing street photography or painting, you’ll find me working as a theatrical electrician and in various art department roles on film sets. I have several IMDb credits as a set dresser, prop master, costume designer and production designer. I completed a BA in Studio Art at CUNY Hunter College before moving to the West Coast. I organize my fine art into themed projects, some of which originated as early as 2016 and are still ongoing.
Voice Of The People is an artistic documentation of the constantly metamorphosing urban environment. Graffiti in all its forms is the uncensored voice of the people. To some it’s seen as dirty, a nuisance, and a crime, but to me it’s an ancient art that goes back to the revered cave paintings of paleolithic times - the first known art form. It is also one of the few kinds of art which is readily accessible to the public. Whether it is a towering mural or a name carved into a train seat, it is there for everyone to interact with, unlike the lofty world of white-walled art galleries and museums. Each of my photographs tells a story of who has been there before me, and how they chose to alter that space. As colors and forms build on each other to create a living mural that changes over time, I frame and capture individual moments in these dynamic entities.
Metropolis is an exploration of the landscape of modern cities. What is it like to live in an industrial, hyper-consumerist, neon world? Everywhere you look there is something new to see, something new to buy, metal beams and gates partitioning space, signs directing you and calling to you. What catches our eye in this chaos of accumulation?
3000 Miles is a project that arose from a series of visits to Portland, Oregon during a long distance relationship. Each photo on the left was taken in Portland and matched with a photo on the right taken in my home city of New York. As I contemplated relocating for the first time in my life, I searched for similarities and differences between the two places I would soon call home.
In These Dark Streets contains imagery guided by the emotions of light and shadow. Each photo is meant to be slightly unsettling, leaving you questioning who had been there and why, or what you are even looking at. Despite all being taken in one of the most densely populated cities in the world, there is no direct human presence in these photos. When you’re in the territory of the unknown, the road can get cold and lonely.
Phantom Self is a multimedia series where I interpret relationships, anxiety, and mortality through a semi-abstracted style. Bright colors, bold lines, and punchy positive and negative space are used to emphasize symbolism and otherworldly place. These paintings feature a figurative representation of my essence, contorted and pulled apart in a journey towards self-actualization. Abstracto is a contrasting series exploring the world beyond my limited self - the things that always have been, and the things that will be after I’m gone.
I can be contacted by email at gabipolsinelli@gmail.com
