Thursday, January 15, 2009
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Posted by: Rob Pasquinucci
Rocky Burkhardt says it's the dream of every artist: a solo show in New York City.
Well, Burkhardt's dream is coming true.
Burkhardt, a 66-year-old artist, poet and author from Alexandria, will have his first solo show in New York, opening 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at the A. Jain Marunouchi Gallery, 24 W. 57th St. The show, entitled "God's Plan for Man," will feature 15 pieces of Burkhardt's work.
"It's always been a dream - like it is for every artist," Burkhardt said of the New York show. "This is something I always wanted to do in my lifetime. It's just difficult to do. It's really special."
Burkhardt graduated from Newport Catholic High School, Northern Kentucky University, got his master's degree at Eastern Kentucky University and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. His learnings, as well as those of his mentors, can be traced all the way back to Michelangelo.
Deeply philosophical, Burkhardt says he devised the idea for his work in 1998. Three years ago, he talked with a friend in New York about creating his own solo show. He then returned home, created his 15 canvas works, and last October, began shopping his ideas to galleries.
The first gallery that heard his pitch decided to offer him a solo show. Burkhardt describes his style as Xtendoe - or Extended Entities and Domains of Existence.
"If I'm painting you, I look at you and your vision is coming to me," he said. "It passes through me to the canvas. You come in to my existence. I wanted to show how things and people extend into each other."
Some have called Burkhardt's "Xtendoe-God's Plan for Man" a contemporary masterpiece. Now he is ready for the world to pass judgment.
What's next for him? Burkhardt, who has also published a work of poetry, hopes to finish a novel, and continue giving art classes in the area.
"There's more to do," he said.
Learn more about Burkhardt, his art and his poetry at www.artin2000.com and www.rockyburkhardt.com.
This article originally appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer and was written by Ryan Clark.
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