Artist's Statement
“Art is not about art. Art is about life…” Louise Bourgeois
Art, like life, is a journey. My journey is one of pushing through uncertainty, doubt, and ambiguity, still finding my way, without a fixed destination. My art journey is not one of the known but rather one of discovery. At its heart is exploration and adventure. With each work, indeed with each mark, the journey continues, a journey that has been in motion for decades. I am mid-journey, still traveling, still listening, moving in light or in darkness, but seeking and pursuing my truth. In these works, we see the visual language of maps, highways, interconnected lines, and geometric structures which don’t resolve but connect without a terminus. These roads, paths, forms, and shapes can be seen as visual metaphors for how memories, emotions, and ideas intersect rather than resolve. These images hold space for not knowing, honoring art and life as intertwined journeys, each informing and sustaining the other through ongoing inquiry and exploration.
Artist's Bio
Sam Forlenza, PhD, is a multidisciplinary artist and a retired clinical psychologist. He is a performance artist, visual artist, book artist, poet, and writer. He holds a BA in fine arts from Rutgers University, in addition to his clinical doctorate. Typically, Sam’s works are informed by his background in clinical psychology. Sam has exhibited his art around the country. In 2022, he created a performance piece, The Palermitan, which was transmitted live from Palermo, Sicily, as part of the 9th Annual Salt Lake City Performance Art Festival. Notable collections: Superior Court of New Jersey, Boise (ID) State University Rare Book Collection, and Kalamazoo Book Arts Center, Michigan. Currently on exhibit until April 17, 2026, Cityscape, Escape, an accordion book in Booked 20, at the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts, Madison, NJ. On February 15, 2026, he was part of 12MinuteMax at the main Salt Lake City Public Library, with his performance piece entitled, Time Piece. He was the featured artist on December 16, 2025, in 15Bytes: Utah’s Art Magazine (ArtistsofUtah.org) 2025: Sam Forlenza’s Daily Dare. Sam created a self-guided tour at the Utah Museum of Fine Art called
Art and Mental Health. He has conducted workshops, including Art and Social Justice, for artists, students and teachers. Sam lives and works in Salt Lake City with an art studio (Studio 12) in Sugar House. Instagram Handle: Sam.Forlenza
