BOWERY GALLERY 530 West 25th St., 4th Fl. New York, NY  10001

 

PRESS RELEASE: In her current exhibition at the Bowery Gallery, Janet Gorzegno presents intimately scaled works in gouache on paper that feature heads in profile as images for contemplation.

In this subtle and poetic series, Gorzegno explores themes of spiritual awareness and alignment.  Her paintings reveal a balance between conscious forming and acceptance of random, painterly occurrence.

Heads in profile are a thread throughout the works, with some evocative of icon painting. The faces for these heads demonstrate different qualities of attention, from indrawn, peaceful contemplation to moreoutward, worldly expression. The p

aintings, when seen together, evoke a kind of journey or evolution of the soul as it moves through and experiences different states of emotion and thought.

Gorzegno’s paintings are an extension of the humanist tradition. Her sense of form is descendent from time-honored, figurative painting,like that of early Italian fresco painting or Northern Renaissance portraiture. The spiritual focus in Gorzegno’ work gives it current relevance, as abstract qualities, of color, shape and texture, resonate in a contemporary setting.

Janet Gorzegno studied painting at theNew York Studio School and received her MFA inainting from Yale University. This is her third solo exhibition at the Bowery Gallery. She has also exhibited in numerous featured and group shows and recently was a fellow at the Virginia Center for Creative Arts. Other recent recognition for Janet Gorzegno includes a Best in Show award from the Northwest Art Center’s 2008 Paperwork’s Competition, which earned her a solo exhibition that took place at the Northwest Art Center in January 2009. She currently holds the rank of Professor of Art for the University of Southern Mississippi where she teaches drawing and painting.