A Container for the Universe
The Container series takes as its inspiration, a discussion on geometrical structure of the universe in Einstein’s "Relativity" book, in which he considers how beings in a two-dimensional existence would delineate and use measurements to describe their world and the limitations they face.The two-dimensional world of these works parallels this concept.
Pustorino received a 2019 Fellowship in Painting from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
His artwork uses graphic, abstract and realistic form to explore concepts of narrative and spatial/structural composition.
Identifying early on with the sensibilities of the Washington Color School artists, he added to these his interest in geometry, physics and 3D math puzzles, as well as his graphic design drawing training that emphasized curvilinear and dimensional form.
This series also draws upon the work of Pop and Op artists Frank Stella, Bridget Riley, Jasper Johns, Valerio Adami and Patrick Caulfield.
The eye and the heart are only temporary containers, acrylic, inks, pencils on duralar 80 x 75 2023
Container for memory of late summer light, acrylic, pencils on duralar, 80 x 75, 2023
Container for the Universe, acrylic, pencils on duralar, 80 x 75, 2023
Container for the Universe: Passing and Following
80" x 75" acrylic and pencils on
Duralar vellum 2024
A Container for the Universe schematic 4, 2020 markers and pencil on watercolor paper
A Container for the Universe schematic 5, 2020 markers and pencil on watercolor paper
A Container for the Universe schematic 6, 2020 markers and pencil on watercolor paper
A Container for the Universe schematic 3, 2020 markers and pencil on watercolor paper
A Container for the Universe schematic 7, 2020 markers and pencil on watercolor paper
A Container for the Universe schematic 8, 2020 markers and pencil on watercolor paper
A Container for the Universe schematic 9 2020 markers and pencil on watercolor paper
A Container for the Universe schematic 10, 2020 markers and pencil on watercolor paper
A Container for the Universe schematic 11, 2020 markers and pencil on watercolor paper
Contact: [email protected]
James Pustorino is an artist, curator, and arts organizer and is Executive Director of Victory Hall Inc. a Jersey City based non-profit arts organization. He produces exhibitions and public art projects at his Drawing Rooms art-space as well as directing projects for students and classes for developmentally disabled artists, and publishing books through Victory Hall Press.
Pustorino spent his formative years as an art-student and artist in Northern VA, and still maintains a home-base there.
From an early age, Pustorino's work has been affected by light and landscape. Pustorino began formal training at age 11 at a gallery on the Long Island Sound, and when his family moved to a Northern Virginia area along the Potomac River in his mid-teens in the late 1970s, he continued to explore color, light and abstract form. Identifying early on with the sensibilities of the Washington Color School artists, he added to these his interest in geometry, physics and 3D math puzzles, as well as his graphic design drawing training that emphasized curvilinear and dimensional form.
He began been exhibiting art in his teens in Virginia, and received his BFA from Carnegie-Mellon University in 1983, with a focus on printmaking, drawing and painting.
He continued to work in Virginia , exhibited briefly in the East Village, NYC and then began showing and organizing exhibitions in Pittsburgh, PA and Columbus and Youngstown, OH. This led to Pustorino having a few major works included in larger exhibits both at the Butler Institute, and at the Columbus Museum of Art in Ohio. Pustorino moved to the Jersey City area in 1997 and continued to exhibit in venues throughout the U.S., including Odetta Gallery, NYC, and the Jersey City Museum, and has had solo exhibitions with Chambers 916 Gallery in Portland, OR, and recent solo exhibitions in Casa Colombo and Watchung Art Center in NJ..
Pustorino’s large-scale compositions engage concepts of language and pictorialization, through varying systems of mark-making and adopted ‘cultural’ forms, positive/negative space, concepts of unfinished/finished, as well as representational/abstract. His work focuses on invention of form and the optics of color and is created in thematic series produced on various substrates and in various media. He compares his process to creating a musical composition using specific musical instruments or tones to create an abstract ''narrative'.