Looking Back: Portraits by Joseph Radoccia
Exhibition Dates: August 24 – September 15, 2024
Opening Reception: August 24, 2024, 5 – 7 pm
Artist Talk: September 14, 2024, 2:30 – 4 pm

Radoccia’s large-scale portraits began as a technical experiment, he set out to challenge his belief that small-scale paintings with precious materials are essential for creating intimacy between viewer and art. His goal was to explore methods of sustaining intimate engagement on a larger scale using more immediate and vulnerable materials. By painting close friends and elders, Radoccia’s aim was to convey feelings of friendship, respect, warmth, and love. The process starts with a photo session where the model relaxes into absolute repose, staring directly into the artist’s eyes, creating a tension between trust and vulnerability that is captured in the portrait.