Artist Dennis Corrigan opens new exhibit at Circle Centre for the Arts, featuring works with imaginative themes and zany characters.
”From the Sub-Literature to the Sublime” is an art collection by Dennis Corrigan, featuring creative works throughout the interesting course of his career.
One of Dennis Corrigan’s original works of art, “Smokers’ Stand,” which is both painting and sculpture.
WILKES-BARRE — New art exhibit by Dennis Corrigan celebrated its opening Friday, August 18, at Circle Center for the Arts’ second floor Maffei Gallery.
Debuting Third Friday, “From the Sub-literate to the Sublime” is a collection of art from throughout Corrigan’s life, featuring out-of-this-world subjects and captivating scenes. The imagery in Corrigan’s work is both creepy and playful.
The pieces selected gallery incorporate geometric shapes, interesting marks, and zany characters in unexpected ways. The art spans about 60 years over the life of this East Coast artist and professor, including from his teen years all the way up to recent years. Visitors can observe how Corrigan developed his craft.
The works also reflects what was going on at that period of time, globally but also personally. Corrigan struggles with attention deficit disorder, and his art is a look inside his creative mind. He seems to communicate most effectively through his artwork.
“ADD — it’s crippling because you have trouble relating to normal conversations and you go off track all the time. If I hear a word that interests me I’m out of the conversation, combining it with other words, and imagining a skit based on it. And…it’s good, but people think you’re stupid, lazy, or crazy — because that’s how you’re perceived,” explained Corrigan.
Corrigan studied illustration at Philadelphia College of Art then enlisted in the US Navy and later, Air Intelligence School in Denver. In 1970, he enrolled in Temple University’s Tyler School of Art to study painting and graduated with a Master’s degree in painting in 1972.
It was from this time at Tyler that his illustration style emerges and the surreal black and white political lithographs on display were created. Many were featured in publications such as Politicks, RCA Records, Horizon Magazine, New York Times, and more! See mesmerizing pieces such as “Truman Discovers MacArthur Abusing His Dog” and “A Fool’s Errand” in person at the gallery.
Currently enjoying retirement, Corrigan taught almost 38 years as a professor at Marywood University as well as part-time for Tyler, Philadelphia College of Art, and New York University at different points in time.
He admires creators who take risks, but his biggest inspiration come from dreams. Corrigan said he pulls from his own memorable dream elements such as crumbling brick cities, 50s automobiles and frustration — like trying to find your university class and ending up having to teach physics.
He notes viewers aren’t drawn to the most beautiful part of a piece, but the most eye-catching. And the most eye-catching is sometimes disturbing, freaky, or just plain weird.
He said sometimes the horror stories are most interesting, that’s what people want to hear about — there’s a fascination in “evil.”
As well as the weird, Corrigan utilizes humor in much of his art. The visual humor, such as depicted in “Nuts Looking For Squirrels,” stands out in much of the collection. Like any good cartoon, it’s weird and funny and you can’t look away. He enjoys playing with that contrast between the fun and freaky. Dark and light.
Corrigan incorporates not only all different mediums and styles to create his works (oil, acrylic, graphite, digital), but also all different kinds of canvasses. Many of the pieces in the exhibit are done on wood. Among the collection, you’ll also find several custom sculpture assemblages, such as “Smokers’ Stand,” that combine artforms.
“Part of it is trying to find my identity, so I’d get bored and go to something else. But, it really benefited the students because I can teach almost any course at grad school, including photography and sculpture,” said Corrigan.
In addition to the canvas, Corrigan also worked with puppets over the years. He even used them to create a talk show for Marywood University called “Let’s Get Cozy with Larry Wargo” on local cable for a brief time. This artist’s imagination is limitless and it’s all on display with the Circle Centre for the Arts, home of Wyoming Valley Art League.
Corrigan also incorporates digital to enhance and create pieces. He continues to learn new and exciting methods to deliver his art.
In the sea of surreal, there is one piece that particularly stood out called “My Better Half.” This is a more realistic painting that depicts a portrait he did of his wife, Donna Pacinelli Corrigan, who also wrote the book about his life, “The Art & Mind of Dennis Corrigan”.
Prepare to witness works of art that are creepy and thought-provoking. Go on a journey of art and humor through this celebration of the weird.
The new exhibit from Dennis Corrigan opens on Wilkes Barre’s Third Friday and will be displayed in Maffei gallery at the Circle Centre for the Arts through September 29.
