The catalogue 'Promise' depicts the chronological evolution of Michael Foster's artistic career, specifically his paintings and collages exploring different genres — abstracts, landscapes, portraits and still life.
Deliberately understated, the design maintains a low-key aesthetic, allowing Foster's body of work to eloquently articulate its own narrative. The format moves away from an 'A' size to mimic the proportions of the squarer canvases used. The paintings are interspersed with images of the artists’ studio and painting table. The layout strategically incorporates blocks of colour specifically used by the artist.
It showcases nearly 100 paintings that are either owned by the family or kindly lent for the purposes of the publication. The project, initially intended to be a modest booklet, soon became a substantial book, mirroring an expansion of the collection as further works were revealed. Each piece was photographed or scanned and then retouched so as to create consistency in lighting. Quotes were requested and these became a narrative for the collection and a testimony of Foster's influence on the owners of his artworks.
