Reception for show of paintings by Michael Kozlowski this Saturday at New Haven Public Library

New Haven Free Public Library Art Gallery
133 Elm St., New Haven
Michael Kozlowski: The Symbolism of Places
Through Aug. 1, 2012.
Artist's reception: Sat., July 7, 2—4:30 p.m.

Press release

"My inspiration" says artist Michael Kozlowski, "has always come from painters who have the ability to create and display another world that not only allows you to visit but draws you in and bars the door behind you. Whether this is done through the intrigue created by the symbolism and careful technique of Edward Hopper, or through the visual attack that comes from many paintings by Turner, creating work that has this type of arresting power and presence is my goal.

Michael Kozlowski is an award-winning Fairfield County-based artist. He studied art at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven and more recently at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Kozlowski has studied everything from drawing and painting (in oils, acrylics, and watercolors) to traditional darkroom and digital photography, computer graphics, and even advertising, but painting has remained his primary artistic focus. While art has been a part of his life since early childhood, he has only recently begun exhibiting work.

"Most of my work deals with places—typically interiors or at least man-made spaces. Saying that I allow the places I paint to choose me may sound trite, but it would not be incorrect. They are places which have all made an impression on me in one way or another and the way I choose to present them—and the situations I depict within these settings—reflects, and hopefully to some extent conveys, those impressions they gave me. However, rather than dictate a particular meaning or point of view, the intent is to provide the catalyst for a dialogue between the viewer and the work. Each person brings his or her own history and ideas to the work and therefore the images can suggest an endless array of interpretations that may change and evolve over time. My paintings are composed carefully and often over long stretches until they reach a "critical mass," at which point they can be assembled on the canvas. I attempt to incorporate contemporary elements into representational painting to make it more dynamic, more expressive, more emotive, and more appealing to a modern viewer. It has always been my contention that the best artwork strikes a balance among good composition, an intriguing execution and style, and at the heart of each work, unique and individual ideas. These points, coupled with an intent toward originality, are what has guided my work."

Many of his recent paintings have been large scale, immersive works depicting store windows and interior spaces executed in varying styles to evoke different feelings and emotions. These works are left intentionally oblique so that, rather than dictate a particular meaning or point of view, they can be the catalyst for a dialogue with the work. Kozlowski continues to push his art in new directions, recently experimenting with portraiture and mixed media.

The exhibition will be on display through Aug. 1. There will be an reception for the artist Sat., July 7, from 2—4:30 p.m.