Finding Felix: About the Exhibit

 

 

Felix Brow-Westbrook was a 28 year old artist and designer living and working in NYC when he was unexpectedly diagnosed with Biphasic Pleural Mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer caused by asbestos exposure almost never seen in people in their twenties. Felix died just under a year after his diagnosis. This exhibit explores his life as an artist and seeks to discover more about Felix the person through the lens of Felix the artist.

Felix was always an artistic person. Spending much of his early childhood on the campus of Purchase College, he was often surrounded by art and other artists, not to mention the many artists in his family including his mother, a dancer, and his father, a photographer.

As he grew up, it became obvious that he was different from other kids, with his creativity and “old soul” being part of his endearing charm. People that knew him as a child still fondly recall his wise demeanor that was beyond his years.

The name of the exhibit, “Finding Felix,” comes from an essay written by Matt Williams, his mentor at Spoleto Festival USA. Part of “finding Felix” was trying to gather up the work he left behind, as much of it was created for temporary uses. Not only that, but Felix’s art was so much a part of him that it echoed throughout his life in every aspect, he was constantly creating. With that, came the challenge of finding all that could possibly be found and using it to convey Felix.

The first image pictured is the first photograph Felix ever took at 5 years old. It shows the unique way he looked at the world, through a lens of his own. The exhibit then follows his career, with his days at Spoleto Festival USA and his window designs, his house painting which is a symbol of his own being, and the work he created while he was ill. It ends with pieces created by others in his honor.