The Sorokin Gallery, the largest art gallery on Greenwich Avenue, is open and planning a solo exhibit of the work of Dario Campanile’s contemporary art.
On Saturday, May 8, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm there will be an event with hors d’oeuvres and wine to welcome people to the gallery and view Campanile’s artwork. The exhibit runs through June 1.
Carol Sorokin, a graduate of Christie’s Education in London in Fine & Decorative Art, explained the exhibit is something of a “welcome back” because she previously operated her gallery across the street on Greenwich Avenue for two years.
“Then Covid hit and I left the Avenue,” she recalled. “But things are getting better and I decided to come back.”
Other than skipping across the street last November to space that was once home to Douglas Parfumerie, Sorokin said she changed the name of her gallery from Galerie 888 to Sorokin Gallery.”
Sorokin described Greenwich as “the art gallery row of Fairfield County.”
“Greenwich Avenue is ideal for me. It’s also a shopping destination for a lot of people in Fairfield County and Westchester,” she said, adding, she plans to offer an eclectic selection of art including abstract, realism, still life, seascapes, landscapes, portraits, and figurative.
Sorokin, who previously was an antiques dealer, said she originally opened the gallery to showcase Mr. Campanile’s work. In fact, most of the artwork in Sorokin Gallery is Campanile’s.
“I love the intense color combinations he uses and then I noticed how unique his art is and how he has hidden images in his artwork. I especially love the movement and spiritual elements as well,” she said.
“Dario is my resident artist,” Sorokin explained. Campanile has a permanent display, but there are 10 other artists featured in all. I want Greenwich and surrounding areas to know that I carry a versatile group of artists and styles, including sculpture.
More on the gallery is available online sorokingallery.com Sorokin Gallery is located at 96 Greenwich Avenue. Tel. 203-856-9048.
Dario Campanile’s journey started in Rome, Italy where he was born in 1948. He expressed an affinity for art as a young boy. When he was 14 the artist was bedridden with a kidney ailment for three months. After his father gave him a set of oil paints to cheer him up, he painted his first still life in just a few days.
A self-taught artist, once Campanile had mastered the tools, he was off on a free-spirited ride, never quite sure where he was going, but always secure in the knowledge that his natural gifts and instincts would take him to exciting new realms.
He met with Salvador Dali, who coined him the “Roman Master,” and Giorgio de Chirico who also influenced his work as a painter. In 1986 Campanile was commissioned to redesign and create a new logo for the famed Paramount Pictures. In 2005 he was invited to participate on a project called “Missing Peace.” He met the Dalai Lama at his home in India where he posed for a portrait exhibited in the project.
After decades of painting realism and surrealism, Campanile’s work has evolved into abstract expressionism, which is now the artist’s main focus and passion.
“Working in abstract for me is the most direct and pure form of artistic expression coming from my unconscious. The challenge is to be able to trust and surrender and allow the channel of creativity to come through me, like an open vessel,” Campanile said in a statement. “This process most of the time is very daring because I want to make sure that the pure essence of child-like energy comes through the body and mind of the adult. My main goal is to be able to express my true soul and continue my journey by taking risks and always allowing myself to explore new visions.”
