Ken Bortman's Memory In Focus: A Closer Look At Fragments
- Project Onward Staff
- 19 hours ago
- 2 min read
May 14, 2025
Written by Caroline Crutsinger-Perry
Join us on Friday, May 16th to see the extended exhibition Fragments, featuring eight works by artist Ken Bortman.
Bortman’s work in Fragments shows us the power of memory as a tool for connection and expression. Memories might fade over time, but he remembers how he got his start as an artist, back in grade school: “we’d have poster competitions for various holidays, and I would win first or second prize, and I was encouraged” by this. He then went on to continue his studies at the Art Institute of Chicago. After receiving his BFA 1979, he moved to New York City and immersed himself in the art scene of the 1980’s. Back in Chicago he was represented by multiple galleries before joining Project Onward in 2014.
Bortman has experience working in a variety of mediums. In Fragments he has lithographs, mixed media on paper, and acrylic on foam. His work is both deeply personal but also relatable to a wide audience as he engages with doubt, emotion, and experience. For example, Is That All You Do? is a mixed media work that combines street photography with painting and handwritten inscription. Along the bottom border of the piece he writes: “Emotions in transition, phases & constants”. Viewers of this piece will no doubt be able to relate to the ebb and flow of feeling and emotion. Throughout life’s journey, experiences will evoke changing emotions – if only we take the time to reflect on our own memories.
Pulled from his own personal archive of work, Bortman’s 8th Street prints from 1977 reflect on his time in New York City and the growing industrial center. In New York he worked as an art handler in SoHo and nurtured his love of art by attending gallery openings and shows.
Mask is a colorful pastel and mixed media piece that stands out against Bortman’s other, darker pieces. A small note at the bottom of the composition urges its viewers to look and listen closer. The only way to create solid memories against the threat of forgetfulness is to record carefully.
In the past, Bortman has worked extensively in mixed media despite its reputation for being hard to maintain. Yet four of the pieces he displays are mixed media from the 1970s and 80s and are in excellent condition. Bortman now primarily works in acrylic paint and has plans to create a series of paintings in the near future.
Bortman’s work in Fragments joins five other Project Onward artists who all explore memory as a tool for reflection and introspection. Please join us on Friday, May 16th 6 – 9 PM for the chance to see these powerful works in person.
Fragments is also available to view online.
