Robert Forlini had always been afraid to leave the New York area. He believed on some primal level that if he was away for any extended period of time he would be “missing” something of great importance to photograph. So everyone who knew him was shocked to learn that he packed up his cameras and relocated his home and darkroom to Lancaster, PA. Now, in addition to his urban street photography on return trips to NYC, he has added the rolling hills of central Pennsylvania.
One of Robert’s Leica cameras is always close at hand whether he is on the road or on his deck with his family. He has been documenting his family’s evolution for over 45 years. If one looks closely through his family pictures one bears witness to birth, growth, and a human sadness that we all share. It is a sadness that gently reflects how things must change despite our belief that they stay the same if we mark occasions consistently year after year.
His continual reflection on his own family has provided a keener eye when photographing strangers. We are removed and watching from a distance yet we feel that we know them and their plight well. Whatever Robert is photographing, he is always documenting the universal human condition.
Born: New York City, 1957
Began Photographing 1978.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2024 Still Life, Demuth Museum, Lancaster PA
2023 Demuth Invitational: Portraiture through Artists’ Eyes, Demuth Museum, Lancaster PA
2022 The Streets, Praxis Gallery, Minneapolis MN
2022 Analog Today: Film Photography in the Modern World, Downtown Arts Collective, Orlando, FL
2021 59th Annual Community Art Exhibition, Lancaster Museum of Art, Lancaster, PA
2020 58th Annual Community Art Exhibition, Lancaster Museum of Art, Lancaster, PA
2018 When Darkness Falls, Front Street Gallery, Patterson, NY
2018 The Winter Landscape, Chase Anderson Gallery, Goldens Bridge, NY
2017 Call of the Wild, Chase Anderson Gallery, Goldens Bridge, NY
2017 FAMILY, Umbrella Arts, New York, NY, Juror: Harvey Stein
2016 Artist's Choice, Focal Point Gallery, City Island, NY
2015 Going Places, PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT
2015 Lake Peekskill Arts Festival, Lake Peekskill, NY
2015 To the Lover of Small Things, Gallery 22, Peekskill, NY
2014 KIDS (Not Cute), Umbrella Arts, New York, NY, Juror: Harvey Stein.
2012 Home, Umbrella Arts, New York, NY, Juror: Harvey Stein.
2011 Festa (Solo Exhibition), Italian American Museum, New York, NY
2011 20th Anniversary Alumni Show, Upstream Gallery, Dobbs Ferry, NY
2011 Dinner, Umbrella Arts, New York, NY, Juror: Harvey Stein.
2011 Home Is Where the Camera Is, PhotoPlace Gallery, Middlebury, VT, Juror: Julie Blackmon
2010 PHOTOcentric: A Juried Photography Exhibition, Garrison Art Center, Garrison, NY
Jurors: Stephen Shore and Harvey Stein
2010 3rd Annual Ciao Italy Performing Arts Festival, (Two Person Show), Associazione San Cono, Brooklyn, NY
2010
Spring Member Show, Garrison Art Center, Garrison, NY
2008
Inspiration and Interpretations of a Farmer's Market, Gallery 25N, Peekskill, NY
2005 La Festa: Italian Festivals in America (Solo Exhibition), Culpeper Gallery, Abrons Arts Center at Henry Street Settlement, New York, NY
2001 Spectra '01 Third National Photography Biennial, Silvermine Guild Arts Center, New Canaan, Conn.
2000 Ten Feasts (Solo Exhibition), Community Gallery, New Rochelle, NY
1999 Alone, Among Us (Two Person Show), Gallery on the Hudson, Irvington, NY
1997 Styles and Aesthetics VII, LaMama LaGalleria, New York, NY
1996 BabyBaby, Hudson Valley Institute for Art and Photographic Resources, Peekskill, NY
1995 Blood Ties (Solo Exhibition), Focal Point Gallery, City Island, NY
1993 Fine Food and Lodging, Upstream Gallery, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
1993 What Will the Neighbors Think?(Three Person Show),Upstream Gallery, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
1993 Group Show, The Cork Gallery, Avery Fisher Hall, New York, NY
1993 Group Show, Lever House, New York, NY
1992 BAA 1992 Exhibition of Photography, The Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield, MA
Juror: John Szarkowski
1992 Things That Are Scary, Upstream Gallery, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
1992 The Media Show, Upstream Gallery, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
1991 Skin Deep (Solo Exhibition), Upstream Gallery, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
1991 The Hungry Eye, Upstream Gallery, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
1990 Picturing People (Two Person Show), Pargot Gallery, Edison, NJ
1990 Portraits (Three Person Show), Focal Point Gallery, City Island, NY
1989 Thirty-Sixth Annual Art Exhibit, The Gallery at Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
1986 The Comet Show, Al Oliver Community Museum, Elmhurst, NY
1984 Central Park Visions: A Juried Photography Exhibition, Central Park Dairy, New York, NY.
Jurors: Marvin Heiferman, Ben Lifson and Belinda Rathbone.
1984 Artists Against U.S. Intervention in Central America, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
1984 MFA Thesis Exhibition, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
AWARDS AND HONORS
2020 Honorable Mention, 58th Annual Community Art Exhibition, Lancaster Museum of Art, Lancaster, PA
2010 Honorable Mention, PHOTOcentric: A Juried Photography Exhibition, Garrison Art Center, Garrison, NY
1995 First Place Honors, Sixth Annual National Juried Photographic Competition,
Focal Point Gallery, City Island, NY
1981 Award for Outstanding Achievement in Studio Art, Fordham University, College at Lincoln Center,
New York, NY
BIBLIOGRAPHY
William J. Connell and Stanislao G. Pugliese, eds., The Routledge History of Italian Americans, “San Gennaro Offering” photo by Robert Forlini, Plate 27, 2017.
FAMILY, Exhibition catalog, 2017, Umbrella Arts
Going Places, Exhibition Catalog, 2015, PhotoPlace Gallery, Forward by Carlan Tapp
KIDS (Not Cute), Exhibition catalog, 2014, Umbrella Arts, Foreword by Harvey Stein
Home, Exhibition catalog, 2012, Umbrella Arts, Foreword by Harvey Stein
La Festa: Italian Festivals in America, Photographs by Robert Forlini, Silver Destiny Press, 2011
Dinner, Exhibition catalog, 2011, Umbrella Arts, Foreword by Harvey Stein
Black and White, Exhibition catalog, 2011, PhotoPlace Gallery, Foreword by Dan Burkholder.
Home Is Where the Camera Is, Exhibition catalog, 2011, PhotoPlace Gallery, Foreward by Julie Blackmon
NIAF News, Volume 22, Number 1, February 2006, “Photographic Celebration of Italian Festas”.
The Italian Tribune, Volume 74, Number 48, December 1, 2005. “Italian Festivals in America, A Photographic Journey”.
Ambassador Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 3,Fall 2004, National Italian American Foundation. “La Festa: Italian Festivals in America” Photo essay of 13 photographs and accompanying article.
Georgette Gouveia. "Photo Exhibit a Feast for the Eye", The Journal News, October 26, 2000.
Eleanor Charles. "World War II Focus", The Guide, The New York Times, April 18, 1999.
Eleanor Charles. "On Early Infancy", Westchester Guide, The New York Times, April 28, 1996.
Viewfinder No. 19, 1995, Focal Point Press. Featured Photographer (Cover Story).
Eleanor Charles. "Going Separate Ways", Westchester Guide, The New York Times, May 9, 1993.
Daniel Grant. "BAA Exhibit Focuses on Photos" (Art Review) The Berkshire Eagle, September 29, 1992.
BAA 1992 Exhibition of Photography, Exhibition Catalog. Foreword by John Szarkowski.
Georgette Gouveia. "Pratt Alumni Focus on Media in Hastings Show", Gannett Suburban Newspapers, May 10, 1992.
Elsa Brenner. "20 Artists Establish County's First Co-op Gallery", Westchester Weekly, The New York Times, April 14, 1991.
RELATED EXPERIENCE
1990-2019 Teacher of Photography, Filmmaking and Studio Art.
Most recently at Horace Greeley High School, Chappaqua, NY.
1982-2007 Commercial Photographer.
Assignments have included photojournalism, architectural and public relations photography, video
cameraman and still photographer for motion pictures.
EDUCATION
1984 MFA, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY
1981 BA, Fordham University, College at Lincoln Center, New York, NY