On Thursday, November 7, a crowd of 207 art lovers gathered at the Housatonic Museum of Art to attend the opening reception for “In a Dark Wood, Wandering,” a survey exhibition of sculptures by New Haven artist Joseph Saccio.
The exhibit features a selection of twenty-three large-scale sculptures, with pieces drawing on classical mythology and religious connotations. The show’s title takes inspiration from Dante Alighieri's 14th-century epic poem, Divine Comedy, with parallels of a spiritual journey of the soul, here through sorrow and loss, and ultimately, healing.
“Joseph Saccio’s work represented here is a testament to our need to pause and remember those we’ve lost, to memorialize those who have left an indelible mark on our lives. These pieces live in that space, working through grief and pain, reflecting memory, and contemplating the fragility of life,” said Robbin Zella, Director of the Housatonic Museum of Art.
A casual artist throughout much of his life, Saccio’s career became more formal after the tragic death of his young son. Working through his grief, he created large, primitive memorials with help from his surviving children.
“This selection is an important grouping. He has a number of different styles, and there are a lot of remembrance pieces here,” said his son Damijan Saccio of Brooklyn, NY. “I see a few that I worked on with him.”
“In a Dark Wood, Wandering” will be on view through December 14, 2019. On Wednesday, December 4th the public is invited to join artist Joseph Saccio for an exclusive walk through the exhibit. During this free event, which begins at 11am, Saccio will share his artistic process and his interests in mythology, nature and the struggle of bereavement.
The Housatonic Museum of Art is home to one of the premier college art collections in the United States. The museum’s collection offers the opportunity to view works that span the history of art from the ancient to the contemporary, and is on continuous display throughout the 300,000 square foot facility. Visit www.HousatonicMuseum.org to learn more.
Picture Above: Quiver for St. Sebastian (2005)
Henge (2012)
Mouth of Medusa (1990)
Join artist Joseph Saccio on December 4th for an exclusive walk through of his current solo exhibition: “In a Dark Wood, Wandering,” at the Housatonic Museum of Art.