Josef Kote - Article - JOSEF KOTE: American Sublime

JK Studio Publications | March 2025

New Art Editions

Curated by Megan Shepherd.

A swirling body of cloud tendrils sweep the eye upwards, standing stark against the cerulean blue sky of summer. As the wisps twist and turn, leading us to the central, bright focal point, our retinal journey is mirrored on the painting’s horizontal plane, as a pale road stretches into the horizon, soft green foliage and trails of thick painting leading the way in Josef Kote’s Greatness. Is greatness a heavenly destination or a journey undertaken towards an unknown destination just over the hill and around the bend? Looking at the artist’s latest body of work, it would seem either definition is appropriate.

Greatness is one among a series of four limited edition prints the artist is pleased to present. While viewers wouldn’t be wrong to conjure the historical brushstrokes of Impressionism when looking at Kote’s newest works, the distinctly American tenor of his landscapes, with this diffuse, warm glow, another local movement comes to mind: Luminism. Inspired by Europe’s Romanticism and the Transcendentalist writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, in the mid-19th century, the Luminists blended the natural beauty of America’s sweeping vistas with the rugged, independent spirit of her citizens.

Often evoking quietly spiritual expressions of beauty, the Luminists believed immersing oneself in nature was the easiest way to gain self-knowledge, championing mindful presence as the ultimate way to find individual enlightenment. Kote’s practice and the works he creates invite such contemplation from viewers. Standing at the threshold of these scenes, words fall away, and an unspoken dialogue takes place. It is not a process of dissecting or analyzing but rather of letting the mind drift into a state of receptivity. In these moments, the very act of observation becomes part of the art itself, as one is reminded not only of distant memories of past sunsets and cloudy skies but also of how such experiences fit into our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. In this way, the paintings become a mirror, reflecting our inner worlds back to us, revealing layers of meaning.

Kote’s practice operates at the threshold between object and experience. Inhabiting this liminal space, the viewer enters a space where boundaries of time and place blur. Here, meaning is not fixed but fluid, shaped by the personal resonance each individual brings to the experience. Like the painterly brushstrokes standing stark against the smooth blue sky, moments of clarity bubble to the surface, clarifying and complicating what we thought we knew about the landscape—and by extension—ourselves. The juxtaposition of representation and abstraction requires we surrender to the process of discovery, letting every glance uncover something new.

While his work lacks the careful paint application of the Luminists, Kote’s work still recalls their tonal radiance, with unexpected modulations of paint that, in aggregate, approximate nature’s beauty.The soft yellow sunlight in Blissfully (another print in the series) holds a quality of light that reminds us not only of the fleeting nature of beauty and experience but also the sheer pervasiveness of such beauty. The longer one lingers in front of the calming maritime scene, the more it opens up, not as a riddle to be solved but as an endless field of interpretation. This work, like all of his practice, captures the temporal aspect of the experience, reminding us to be present when we have the pleasure of encountering such moments.

The tension between carefully rendered representation and the energetic brushstrokes of abstraction, so easily seen in the Exploring the Depths, is a hallmark of Kote’s practice. By pairing these seemingly opposite techniques, Kote successfully navigates many contradictions: the work is both easily recognized as a beach landscape and yet filled with highly abstracted elements, seemingly methodical and careful yet also hurried and frenetic, peaceful and serene yet bold. Where the foreboding sky meets the horizon, the work gives the appearance of being a straightforward ocean scene, and yet, as one’s eyes are drawn to the edges of the painting, where the sky dissolves into thick strokes of dark blue and the sand is softened into a near-featureless umber.

The path towards contemplation and revelation is more clearly defined in ‘’As it Unfolds’’. The clear shadows cast by the fence, undulating on the beach’s surface, parallel the way one can read the painting: moments of uncertain and abstracted meaning are interspersed and held together by the posts of clear representation. The gentle touch of the sand and the tracks so clear you feel as if you could touch them are offset by the quick swatches of pure pigment in the painting’s sky, a flick of the artist’s hand smearing the sun’s ray into something still recognizable but distinctly less concrete.

"American Sublime," is a new series of four unique fine art prints inspired by Kote's most recent original paintings. This collection is a selection of four extraordinary paintings that Josef Kote is incredibly proud of. Each work embodies the vibrant colors and expressive brushwork that he strives for, inviting the viewer to experience the emotional depth, light, and movement that defines his artistic vision. Every piece in the "American Sublime" series reflects artist's personal memories and feelings, encapsulating the essence of his artistic journey.

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