Christopher “Flore” Florentino operates in an atmosphere of fundamentalism. He creates what he feels, thus creating a feeling. Gesture. Color. Juxtaposing the two simply by the way he moves his brush.
In “Abundance by Subtraction,” Flore captures energy, the intrinsic element in all that has ever been created. What is portrayed on canvas - from color combinations to brush stroke blends - is an extension of his inner frequency,
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Christopher “Flore” Florentino operates in an atmosphere of fundamentalism. He creates what he feels, thus creating a feeling. Gesture. Color. Juxtaposing the two simply by the way he moves his brush.
In “Abundance by Subtraction,” Flore captures energy, the intrinsic element in all that has ever been created. What is portrayed on canvas - from color combinations to brush stroke blends - is an extension of his inner frequency, depicting the energy of the moment. Visible are the individual lines that comprise the pieces, patiently following a path and letting the process take him to completion of composition “kotsu kotsu,” step by step. The intensity of a brush stroke and its corresponding color reflect the emotion of that instant; a bold, red stroke is aggressive, powerful, forceful whereas a calm, blue one
emanates smoothness and delicacy. Balance. Unique to this collection is the way the viewer analyzes the works: from within. Flore’s oeuvre emulates Japanese culture: its simplicity, being in tune with self and the earth, acting with purpose and intention. The technique of ikebana, used in arranging flora, is mirrored in this collection to reduce stimuli and let the minimalistic presentation shine in “abundance by subtraction.” He calls upon an array of objects symbolic to Japan, notably bonsai trees and their ability to elicit serenity and zen, to complete the aesthetic.
“Bonsai trees, like my pieces that capture living moments, are living art, and are not the same from day to day, constantly evolving. Change is subjective; even if the same person looks at a piece on two different occasions, their interpretations may be entirely different. That, to me, makes the work feel timeless.”
Drawing inspiration from his painting predecessors Cy Twombly, Joan Mitchell and Willem De Kooning, Flore applies moments from their works most resonant with him and reconfigures them on a larger scale, from Mitchell’s clustered strokes to De Kooning’s generous application of paint and Twombly’s gestural spirituality. Christopher Florentino takes these focal points, subtracts the excess and lets the core ideas flow on canvas, thriving in abundance.
“Beauty through the art of subtraction is a deceptively simple quality that we admire in the world around us, an underlying element that speaks of confidence, awareness and strength.”
“Art is a statement. Art is revolutionary. Art is a message. Art is creating. Art is individual. Art is a piece of the artist.”
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