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-- Â The Oracle, The Magician, The Navigator, The Dog. Â 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. Â And as silly as that may sound it is true-- that works!" So call it a "dog" -- or a presence that keeps you looking. Â In any case it is hard to take one's eyes off this large, shimmering mystery. Â Watch Harry Widman talk about this work:Â