In brilliant, intricate and sometimes confounding paintings, Joseph McHale explores the concepts of beauty, truth and light in his exhibit “Awake O’ Sleeper.” Through Nov. 30, the Kearney based artist’s work will be on exhibit at the Prairie Arts Center in the Erickson Gallery.
Growing up, McHale said his mother, a classically trained sculptor, helped him get interested in art. But it was in his 20s that he branched out and started to explore more contemporary styles, taking a special interest in “harmony and disharmony.” “Just to see if there’s anything there,” he said.
“And then what I found in modern art was there’s a kit of search for meaning, whereas classical art is like ‘here’s the meaning, this is what it is, no need to do any more searching.”’ Drawing inspiration from artists like Vincent Van Gogh and Jackson Pollock, McHale started to explore color. “And what I found myself doing is just trying to solidify a perspective, a definition of beauty,” he said.
In his research of paintings, poetry and philosophy, McHale found two quotes that stuck out to him. John Keats’ “Beauty is truth, truth beauty,—that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know,” and Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky’s “the world will be saved by beauty.” “So these paintings are basically my artistic expression of contemplating the meaning of that,” McHale said.
Though McHale grew up in a Christian home, he said it was that idea, partnered wit.
