Salvatore Zofrea: Days Of Summer

 

This travelling exhibition of Zofrea’s woodcut print suite is the end product of a major commitment by the artist and his collaborators. To produce the suite of fifty single images and one monumental landscape the artist carved 109 blocks of wood. The suite is a paean of praise for the abundance and beauty of the Australian flora and fauna.  While the linear intricacy highlights the interconnectedness of the various life forms, it also warns of the frailty of the environment. Zofrea enhances the sense of awe by presenting these scenes as if from the viewpoint of a bee. This much awarded artist was born in Italy, but his celebratory approach to art and life encompasses both his native and adopted countries.

Curated by Joseph Eisenberg and toured by Maitland Regional Art Gallery.

Image: Salvatore Zofrea, Illawarra Flametree, 2008, hand coloured woodcut print on Japanese Hitachi paper, 75.4 x 96 cm.