My work proposes a metamorphosis of naturalistic vision into a mineral abstraction. Starting from what appears to be a constellation suspended over an abyss of black cellulose, I pursue a recurring theme in my artistic practice: the exploration of the shapes of water. Here, they are transformed into a halo of matter, on the edge of silver and shadow.
The choice of substrate is structural. The image is revealed through an experimental offset photogravure process. Due to the inversion of luminance and the metallic silver pigment deposition on black Veneto paper, the final result defies any prediction. Each work becomes a discovery—a material surprise that cannot be captured by digital reproduction. The vibration of the pigment reveals itself only to the physical eye, shifting radically according to the light's angle and the viewer’s movement.
Within this layer of pigment lies the essence of life. What first appear to be stellar shards are, in reality, the traces of an organic presence: a constellation of pink flamingos in the heart of the Venice Lagoon, captured from above. By fading behind the unpredictable metallic glow, the animal and its habitat become a symbol of an ecosystem transmuted into pure radiance.
Detail view: Substrate and Materiality
This detail view reveals the physical nature of the work: the deep black areas are the substrate, a 100% recycled mass-dyed paper crafted in Veneto. Light is introduced through a silver metallic pigment deposition that merges with the plant fibers of the support. In this encounter between the mineral and the vegetal, the result retains the original matte finish of the paper; the silver reveals itself with subtlety depending on the viewing angle.
