Early Life and Education
Born in Kolkata, India, Michael Forster spent much of his childhood in Meerut. His early life was marked by significant personal tragedy involving the death of his father and the subsequent conviction of his mother and her lover. Following his education at La Martinière School in Kolkata, he attended Lancing College in Sussex, England. His formal artistic training continued at the Central School of Arts and Crafts and the Académie Colarossi in Paris.
Seeking to avoid the economic hardships of the Great Depression, Forster emigrated to Canada in the late 1920s. He arrived in Toronto and worked as a freelance illustrator and commercial artist before transitioning into a career as a painter. His artistic direction was profoundly shaped by a Surrealist exhibition in Toronto in 1938, which influenced his intuitive and sensual approach to paint.
Artistic Career and Style
Forster was an abstract painter who worked exclusively with acrylics and acrylic polymers. His compositions were created according to the demands of his subconscious rather than through prior planning. His work sought to embody the transference of light and the patterns of nature into instinctive abstract forms, drawing inspiration from the changing light and cloud formations of the sky.
During the Second World War, Forster was selected as an Official Second World War artist. He served in the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve and produced much of his wartime work in his studio using photographs taken during his travels. His career included a solo exhibition at the Museo Nacional in Mexico City in 1960 and various exhibitions in Canada and Mexico. He eventually returned to England, where he lived in Treen, Cornwall.
Questions & Answers
In which historical period did Michael Forster work?
Michael Forster worked in the Modern period. The period situates the artist's activity in history.
Can I explore Michael Forster's works by keyword?
Michael Forster's works can be explored by keyword on the artist's By Keywords page. Each keyword groups the related artworks.
What moods do Michael Forster's artworks express?
Michael Forster's works can be browsed by mood on the artist's Mood Room page, which arranges the artworks by their recorded moods.
How can I see every artwork made by Michael Forster?
Every work by Michael Forster on this website can be browsed from the artist's All Artworks page.
