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Wading Dog by Harry Widman

• Title: Wading Dog
• Artist: Harry Widman
• Medium: Oil on canvas
• Size: 90"h x 60"w (each panel)
• Creation date: 1981
• Added to collection: 2016
• Donor: Gift of Mardy Widman
• Campus: Rock Creek
• Location: B5/2 Common area

Harry Widman was often drawn to a central, abstracted shape which he called an "unknown image." He explored such images until they took on for him a significance of an archetype--  The Oracle, The Magician, The Navigator, The Dog.  When interviewed about this work in his studio in 2011, Widman talked about the importance of making a "unique, crazy, powerful" painting that would also be "puzzling." Standing in front of this painting on camera as it completely filled one wall of his studio, Widman said: "Where am I? Am I inside? Outside? What is THAT? When people look at this you want people to look at it and say 'What is that?' because then you know they really looked.  And as silly as that may sound it is true-- that works!" So call it a "dog" -- or a presence that keeps you looking.  In any case it is hard to take one's eyes off this large, shimmering mystery.  Watch Harry Widman talk about this work: