INTENTION
These works are the fruit of an artistic quest that aims at breaking with tradition. I wanted to play. I love orthodox engraving, the perfection of the incision that the acid silently performs into the metal plate. I admire the graver’s sharp stroke, like a foil’s scratch on the skin. I love all that, but in the works of others. In this new show of mine each print, even though it depicts the same subject, is different in color and in the pressure of the press, and this is where I played. I never liked to be a perfectionist, and it shows in my imperfect blocks. In my artwork I look for sensations, rhythms, harmony, but also for the battle, the fascination with chaos. I learned the classic engraving techniques, but I have transformed them to my liking, experimenting with new and unusual materials. To play, indeed. To express my thoughts directly, no roundabouts, to come to blows with the part of my ego that challenges me and provokes me every day.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This show (20th November-3th December 2008 in Key West, Fl) has been realized thanks to a generous grant of the Anne McKee Artist Fund. To Mrs.McKee and her team I extend my deepest gratitude. To Daniela Menardi, my partner who believes in me, I dedicate my every breath. To all my new American friends who have supported me so much, I dedicate these images.
MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES
These works have been printed on three types of high quality Italian paper: “Alcantara” and “Graphia” - built by hand, of pure cotton, with uncut edges, without acid and with alkaline protection, at the Sicars paper mill in Catania, Sicily - and “Fabriano” - also cotton paper, from Ancona. All papers were obtained from “Raggio Web di Renda Carmelo” of Mr. Carmelo Renda, in Reggio Calabria. (www.calcografia.it). The printing press I used is craft made in Italy by “Raggio Web di Renda Carmelo” as well, and was purchased thanks to the Anne McKee Artist Fund. The inks utilized ( “Aqua Intaglio” and “Block Printing Ink Water Soluble”) are water-based and non-toxic and were purchased respectively from Rostow & Young, and Speedball, two American companies.
The techniques used are linocut, cardboard engraving, monoprint, “cardboardforte”, and “mouldtint”: the last two are new printing techniques, named and developed by myself. The first technique (cardboardforte) uses a cardboard plate instead of a metal one, but it still remids one of the effect of etching (the classical Italian “aquaforte”) obtained with acid; the second one (mouldtint) reminds one of aquatint as it allows to create nuances, and it requires sculpting abilitiy in preparing the block with artificial clay.
Printmaking, drawing and watercolor are the techniques I prefer to use to illustrate commission work.
Giovanni Novara
