Ron Fortier
I paint personal, cultural, and historical memory.
My overall body of work bridges historical documentation with personal contemplation. It invites viewers to confront the past. It represents an investigation of the intersecting narratives of New Bedford’s maritime history—from the tragedy of the 1871 Arctic whaling disaster to the solitary voyages of local navigators.
Combined with my socially conscious works confronting moments of profound social injustice and liberation, I continue the exploration of the weight of collective memory, historical trauma, and spiritual resistance—from systemic violence to acts of mass defiance