Inspired by the master artists of the Renaissance, Joseph Sulkowski set out on a journey to create a work of epic proportion.
The result of his 14-year process is revealed in “Apokalupsis: An Uncovering: The Artwork of Joseph H. Sulkowski” and opened at the Morris Museum of Art March 1 in conjunction with the annual museum gala.
But the end product wasn’t what he initially thought it might be.
“I thought it would be figurative,” said Sulkowski who was in town for the gala. “I’ve always loved the human figure.”
However, his idea changed the more he began to paint another subject. As a young painter, Sulkowski focused on people. As he continued to paint, he discovered that many of his human subjects wanted to be painted with their horse or their dog.
He also found himself painting various types of hunts. Eventually, his subjects became the hunting animals themselves without their human counterparts and the elements surrounding the hunt – the landscape and the hardware.
And he enjoyed painting the animals.
“They are very honest with you in their expressions or body language,” he said.
The centerpiece of the exhibition is the massive work that stands 8-feet tall by 13-feet wide, making it the largest painting to have ever been hung at the Morris Museum.
The painting tells the story of the human condition using dogs. It’s an allegorical work containing references to the seven deadly sins, the five senses, the elements of earth, air, fire and water, the three graces and how we are all connected together on one planet.
His hope is that people “go beyond differences to see the common ground, the river that flows through us all. That’s the theme of the whole allegory. It’s a symbolic representation of the truth that the human existence that we are all connected That’s what this whole exhibition is based on,” he said.
The main work is the culmination of many smaller works and studies. Some of those sketches and other paintings created during the process are also part of the exhibition as are other paintings of dogs including Boston terriers, Jack Russell terriers and Cavalier King Charles spaniels.
There are even paintings of Sulkowski’s own dogs including one called “The Doorkeeper” with a redbone coonhound looking at a broken chain.
“That’s not her collar,” he said. “Whoever approaches the door gets to drop their shackles and be free. Its’ a higher level of consciousness.”
“Apokalupsis” closes April 28.
“This is unusually short run for us. We are actually sharing this exhibition with the American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog,” said Kevin Grogan, museum curator.
Alan Fausel, the Museum of the Dog’s adjunct curator, was also in town for the gala. Fausel is a regular on “Antiques Roadshow.”
“Apokalupsis” will open on May 9 in New York.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for 35 years. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
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