Dreamers
Object NamePainting
Artist / Maker
Michael Brangoccio
(American, born 1954)
Date2013
MediumAcrylic on canvas
ClassificationsPaintings
Credit LinePurchased with funds from the Office of the Vice President for Research. In the Art on Campus Collection, University Museums, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.
Object numberU2015.3
Status
On viewCollections
CultureAmerican
Label TextFrom the University Museums Collections Handbook, vol. 2, 2025:
Michael Brangoccio, an alumnus of the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, immerses the viewer in a whimsical realm where the animal kingdom encounters the surreal and the improbable. His art radiates a sense of playful curiosity, with an appreciation for the natural world and the detailed beauty of each mammal or bird. In his works of art, creatures appear at ease and comfortably situated within their environments.
Brangoccio employs a unique technique of layering acrylic paint, which, through crazing, builds rich texture to his canvases, enhancing the dreamlike nature of his scenes. In Dreamers, the snow-covered landscape appears to be natural and not surreal, however the pair of bears gazing at each other adds a contemplative and unrealistic satirical tone to the painting. Perhaps a détente? The large scale, at over seven feet in length, highlights the space between the two animals, as the viewer may need to turn their head to see each bear if standing closely to the painting.
Locations
- (not entered) Iowa State University, Beardshear Hall
