Eli Bornowsky
Eli Bornowsky’s (b. 1980, Alberta; lives/works New York) paintings and works on paper make use of mathematics and computer programs to generate unique optical rhythms. Often characterized by dense, non-repeating patterns of tessellated shapes, his work’s algorithmic origins are grounded within a luminous, painterly abstraction. By combining chance operations and colour theory with inexhaustible aperiodic sequences, he produces complex surfaces that vibrate with unsettled energy. Compositions are cropped from a potentially infinite plane of coloured tiles and meditatively rendered in the iconographic medium of egg tempera, adding a tactile and historic dimension to the computational designs. Through his work, Bornowsky bridges the gap between the scientific and spiritual, balancing mathematical precision with contemplative devotion.
Bornowsky holds a BFA from Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Vancouver, and an MFA from Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. His solo exhibitions include Kings Leap (New York, 2024, 2021); Canton-Sardine (Vancouver, 2020); Burnaby Art Gallery (2014), and Western Front (Vancouver, 2010); with group exhibitions at Catriona Jeffries (2024); Kayokoyuki (Tokyo, 2021); White Columns (New York, 2021); Vancouver Art Gallery (2016, 2009); Richmond Art Gallery (2015); Burnaby Art Gallery (2013); and Ottawa Art Gallery (2014). His writing has been published in Fillip, C Magazine, and Pyramid Power, and in numerous exhibition catalogues.