"Hello…I Must Be Going" A Retrospective Art Show

In an age of digital noise and blurred truths, artist Michael Foster invites us to pause and reflect. Hello…I Must Be Going: A Retrospective, now on view at the Batavia Fine Arts Centre Gallery, is a bold and immersive collection exploring memory, anxiety, and the influence of technology on how we interpret the world around us.

Spanning nearly 25 years of work, the retrospective showcases Foster’s signature visual language—fragmented notes, encrypted ciphers, and abstracted forms that seem to pulse with unease. His art captures the emotional toll of navigating an era shaped by information overload, misinformation, and emotional fragmentation.

“I am excited to have such important content, thought, and conversation around this topic. Our world seems so marred and entangled with technology and the question of fact that to take a moment and visually see these concepts come to life through art in this retrospective is an important guide which can help us reflect on these concepts in our own life.”
— Dominic Cattero, BFAC Director

The exhibition invites viewers into a subconscious data landscape—where truth blurs with illusion, and comic imagery meets architectural abstraction. Each piece is both map and mirror, confronting the viewer with the challenge of making sense in a world oversaturated with conflicting signals.

Through cryptic visuals and emotional undercurrents, Hello…I Must Be Going becomes both elegy and compass—honoring past questions while pointing toward an uncertain digital future.

This powerful exhibit offers a rare opportunity to engage with Foster’s uniquely expressive world. Visit the gallery now through June, and join us at the public reception on Saturday, June 21 from 2–5 PM to meet the artist and dive deeper into the stories behind the canvas.

There will also be a content for your chance to win an original painting. Tickets for the giveway will be available at the event. All proceeds will go to the Chicago Japanese Club, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering cultural exchange and mutual support within the Japanese community in the Chicagoland area. Its mission emphasizes interaction and mutual help among members, aiming to promote cultural exchange, mutual understanding, and education as a member of the local community, and to participate in the creation of a healthy and prosperous community.

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