Frank Oriti
Stead Fast
This body of work by Frank Oriti, Juried Winner in “New American Painters 2012”, Modern Painter’s …
Frank Oriti paints blue-collar workers whose opportunities have run out. Primarily men whom the Cleveland-born artist grew up with, his subjects are individuals who attempted to escape their Midwestern suburban hometowns but, despite attending college or entering the military, ended up back where they started. Oriti depicts their moment of return, what he calls their “settling”. Standing against whitewashed backgrounds meant to evoke the uniformity of suburban housing, each subject appears weighted down, either by lack of opportunity or their own disappointment. Rather than look out toward the viewer, their weary expressions are withdrawn, as though they are being pulled backward in time.
This body of work by Frank Oriti, Juried Winner in “New American Painters 2012”, Modern Painter’s “Hit List” 2013, and the First Place Winner of 2013 “Cleveland Art’s Prize” examines the culture of America’s class struggle, the many individuals returning to their hometowns, from the military, or failed attempts to …
Frank Oriti paints blue-collar workers whose opportunities have run out. Primarily men whom the Cleveland-born artist grew up with, his subjects are individuals who attempted to escape their Midwestern suburban hometowns but, despite attending college or entering the military, ended up back where they started. Oriti depicts their moment of return, what he calls their “settling”. Standing against whitewashed backgrounds meant to evoke the uniformity of suburban housing, each subject appears weighted down, either by lack of opportunity or their own disappointment. Rather than look out toward the viewer, their weary expressions are withdrawn, as though they are being pulled backward in time.
