When an artist chooses to concentrate their attention on one certain subject, I’m always amazed by the diversity of ways in which they explore that form. Especially when an artist is seeking to look beyond representation to abstraction. In this series of Minerale paintings by Italian artist Sara Maragotto, the artist delves into the world of rocks, examining their opposing qualities of solidity and vulnerability.
We think of mountains and rocks as solid, immovable objects. But they have their vulnerabilities, just like everything else on this earth. Rocks can break and erode, sometimes quickly, but more often slowly over long periods of time.
In this series of mixed media paintings, I see Sara Maragotto, examining these characteristics in an abstract way. She retains the hard, sharp lines and surfaces, yet diffuses them with soft brushstrokes and washes of color. We can see what may be a weaker area beneath the surface, ready for exploitation by water or wind. I have no idea if this is what the artist had in mind when creating these works, but it is what my own eye has found. What do you see?
To see more work by Sara Maragotto, please visit her website.
All images are via the artist’s website.
