BIO

Van Imagination - Steven FoRster 

Steven FoRster - Van Imagination (painting, sculpture, music and performance) is a British artist who has been living and working in Catalonia since 1989.

After achieving a B.A.Hons 1st at Bristol Faculty of Art and Design (1980-1983) he lived and worked in London until 1989, exhibiting extensively in London and throughout the U.K. as well as Europe, USA and Japan (see C.V. for details.)

Also to highlight from the London period are;

His selection onto the Crafts Council Index (1984), various efimeral sculpture commissions for outside events at the South Bank Arts Centre, prizewinner in GLC Spirit of London painting competition (1985), selection for The Decorative Arts Awards at Sotheby ́s, London and Tokyo 1988

In 1989 he was awarded a Spanish Government scholarship, for one year extended to two (1989-1991), to study sculpture at “Facultat de Belles Arts” Barcelona University. Other awards / grants:- Beca de Creacion from El circulo de Bellas Artes-Madrid 2001. Resident Artist grant – BilbaoArte 2002.

In addition to numerous exhibitions in Catalonia and Spain, he has executed various public sculptural interventions and has actively participated in diverse arts projects such as: Drap Art Association ( an artist run recyle art project of which he was a founder member) organising the International 24h recycle art marathons 1996-1997 in conjunction with the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona (MACBA) and the Centre de Cultura Contemporani de Barcelona (CCCB). Sound sculpture installation “Fontanaeria” for the International Festival de Musics Contemporanis de Barcelona CCCB 1997. Movement and Light sculptures- “METAK” – Arte Nagusia 2005, Bilbao, and efimeral sculptural interventions for Drap Art Festival, the GREC festival Barcelona CCCB and 100th anniversary for the legendry “La Paloma” Barcelona. - Festival Ulisses, Barcelona design and construction of large scale mobile sculpture “Vaixell sonora” 2009. - Bodega Saltó Barcelona, interiorism:- Winner of Best Bar 2013 Timeout magazine Barcelona.

Music and performance based projects :-

Collaborations with experimental theatre groups such as:- Konic Teatre,:-Serpentine Gallery London, Sitges International Theatre Festival.

Veivi Gisus Urkestra. 1992-2000- a hybrid of music/actions- performance/sculpture and multiple projections – SONAR International festival of advanced music, Batofar – Paris, CCCB Barcelona...etc

Arte Puro. 1998-2004- Burlesque/performance/music - Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao

L.U.V.E. music / video and performance collective. 2004- Extensive list of performances in Barcelona, Madrid, Amsterdam. TVE (spanish Natioal TV), and edited cds

Since April 2010, he has been living and working in Hostalric, Girona where he has recently established (dec.2013) Van Imagination - ArtWorks, Gallery/Studio.

CURRICULUM VITAE:- Steven FoRster

Date of Birth:- 6th October 1960. Lanchester, Co. Durham. U.K.

EDUCATION:- 1980-1983 B.A.Hons Faculty of Art and Design. Bristol, U.K. 1989-1991 Facultat de Belles Arts de Barcelona.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS:-

Van Imagination:- Painting, sculpture, wine drawings - Gallery Chez Xefo , Poble Nou, Barcelona June-July 2016, -New painting Hotel Montsoliu, Arbucies, March 2016.-Fira dels Sentits, Catell d´Hostalric July 2015 - HeART Attack, 2014 -“Cartografics” - La Pureé, Barcelona. June 2013 Sala d ́exposicions Benet Frigola. Hostalric. July 2012 “Rural Legends” – La Pureé, Barcelona. May 2012 “Wine Heads” – La Pureé, Barcelona. May 2011 Drap Art gallery. Barcelona. October 2009 Drap Art Gallery. Barcelona. May 2008 “Cosa de Paletas” – Libre Completo, Barcelona. 2006 “Monigoteismus” – La Nau Coclea, Girona. August 2005 “Arquitipos” – Gallery Catalogo General, Bilbao. June 2004 “Muse-UM” – Libre Completo, Barcelona. April 2003 “Monigotics” –Gallery Catalogo General, Bilbao. 2002 Capella de Sant Nicolau, Girona. June 2000 Contrast Gallery, Barcelona. October 1998 “Fontanaerea” – Festival de Musics Contemporanis.BCN 1997 Locura Cotidiana, Barcelona. 1995 “Quirofonia” – Aula de Cultura Santa Eulalia, L ́Hospitalet 1992 ICA Sideshow (Crafts Council) London. 1988 Anatol Orient Gallery. – solo shows - 1988, 1987, 1985

GROUP EXHIBITIONS:-

Drap Art / Arena Centre, Barcelona. 2013 Drap Art. CCCB Barcelona. 2012 Drap Art. CCCB Barcelona. 2011 La Nau Coclea. Girona. 2010
Balls Pond Studio. London. 2008 Metak, Arte Nagusia, Bilbao. 2003 BilbaoArte, Bilbao. 2002 BilbaoArte, Bilbao. 2001
Drap Art. Girona. 2000
Drap Art Event, Jerusalem, Israel. 1998
Galeria Palma Dotze. Vilafranca. 1996
“Peticio Blau” X-FAD Barcelona 1996
La Santa gallery, Barcelona. 1996
Braderie de L ́Art, Roubaix, France. 1994
Transformadors, Barcelona. 1992
“NaturaMorte” Konic Teatre. Serpentine Gallery. London 1991
SouthBank Arts Centre, London- 1986, 1987, 1988
Sandhausen Gallery, Germany. 1989
Decorative Arts Awards, Sothebey ́s London / Tokyo 1988
Circus, Northern Centre of Contemporary Art, touring show U.K. 1988-1989
The New Spirit in Craft and Design, Crafts Council London. Touring U.K. 1987-1988 and Los Angeles, U.S.A. 1988
Kuntsforum Jetzt, Salzberg, Austria 1986
London International Art Fair with Anatol Orient Gallery, editions 1985 +1986
Young Blood, Barbican Arts Centre. London 1983


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Resume currículo:

80,s

Licenciado en bellas artes, Bristol U.K. 1983. Artista de Galeria Anatol Orient 83-89. Expone con British Crafts Council, Barbican Arts Centre, Sothebey´s London y Tokio, I.C.A,Londres, Los Angeles Folk Art Museum y otros. Encargado por el South Bank Arts Centre esculturas efimeras para quemar WintersEnd Festival ( Mar.87 y 88 ) Beca de alumno visitante (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores. España) dept. escultura en la facultad de Bellas artes Barcelona 1989 – 1991

90,s

Expone en varios salas de Barcelona; Contrast, Libre Completo, La Santa, Mercat de las Flors etc. Miembro fundador del asociación de artistas DRAP ART- maratones de reciclaje MACBA/ CCCB 96 y 97. Fontanaerea escultura sonora patio CCCB por Festival de musics contemp.1998. Miembro fundador de VEIVI GISUS URKESTRA proyecto multimedia de musica, performance, proyecciones – Festival Sonar BCN, Batofar Paris, L.E.M. Festival musica experimental.etc.

2000,s

Estancia en BilbaoArte 2meses con ayuda de beca de creación de Circulo de Bellas Artes Madrid y luego como residente en BilbaoArte 6 meses. Expone en Catalogo General Bilbao y BilbaoArte. Metak muestra de escultura- la ria de Bilbao. Exposiciones en Barcelona- Libre Completo, La Fruteria, C3, CCCB.

Capilla de sant Nicolau ,Girona, La Nau Coclea Girona. Drap Art CCCB Bcn.

Balls Pond Open Londres ….

Miembro fundador L.U.V.E musica, performance, proyecciones –actuaciones en Barcelona, Girona, Murcia, Lleida, Madrid (conciertos de Radio 3) etc.

Projecte Ulises escultura mobile de gran formato - evento calles de Poble Sec Bcn 2008.

Proyecto “VAN IMAGINATION” Hostalric Girona 2010 en proceso.