New art in the house…

Written by Michael Rimar

I was really taken by a lot of the work at Gravura. Founded by Paco Aguilar, they focus on and train in engraving arts. Two artists in particular caught my attention: Caterina de Nisco and Vito Adamo, Italians working in Málaga.

Mr. Adamo was departing the gallery when I arrived, though I didn’t know who he was at the time. He’d just mounted his work for a show opening the day after I’d depart the city. The piece at the entrance drew me into its ethereal landscape. It was an image that evoked the Bible or settings from the classics, a sand-colored majestic scene of ruin and light. For another he moved into the water (a whale) or mythology? (octopus and skeleton). He’d come to Malaga for post-grad studies in etching.

Vito Adamo’s work…I purchased print #2 of the first image, here shown framed at home. The others (glare an all) are photos on the wall in the gallery.

Ms. de Nisco has been with the gallery for longer. She spent some time in China and there are fragments of that world in some pieces. Mañanas, one of the prints I purchased, comes from that time. I see a yoga pose, but perhaps it’s tai chi? For a Spanish “learner”, some words are confusing. Mañana can mean tomorrow or morning, clearer in context. I’m imagining the pose is something she saw, or did, in the mornings (mañanas). The Numeros piece is a sort of Rosetta Stone/chart of numerals, sign language, Chinese characters and…others in a chart format.

Caterina de Nisco’s work…I purchased a print of “Nel boschetto della mia fantasia” [my fantasy grove], full of little inhabitants (perhaps some of them are relatives of the Scottish folk/faerie creatures!). “Mañanas” and “Numeros.”
The others (detail of an asparagus stalk!, a protozoan zigzag?, a joyous band, and "Tirar la casa por la ventana.” The last two show work in progress: a copper plate and a print revealed - with delight!

A near-purchase is a piece called "Tirar la casa por la ventana.” Literally meaning "to throw the house out of the window” it means to spare no expense, to celebrate grandly.
At the time, though now I suspect my Spanish absorption level was low that day, it reminded me of an American idiom, “To throw out the baby with the bathwater.” They only share the “throwing” so I’m not seeing why I’d connected them. I tried to explain how it’s used here. She spoke English well, nonetheless, she seemed to just hear the literal throwing of the baby and was shocked.

Finally, a piece from Javier Roz titled “Frontier(IV).” It’s a bit like a comic cel. It expresses the wind and rock and turf so well. I need to zip up my jacket just looking at it.

 

I made a second visit to the gallery shortly before dinner time. Manager Inmaculada recommended an Italian restaurant so I headed there…Radici Osteria Italiana is a small Napolitan family spot. The meal was great, simple spaghetti with zucchini and shrimp. The little painting in the bathroom almost came home with me… (no).


On my way to dinner one evening I passed a couple of young people in the plaza. Sitting on a concrete wall with their work displayed on the ground. A very stylized, computer-created series of images, animals. They reminded me of some of the skate-punk art I’d bought years ago at Haight St. shops. I can’t say how exactly but I’ve had a thing for giraffes. So I bought the piece showing giraffe heads in various orientations. Now, I look and - are they giraffes? The yellow and the shape of the head brought me there, but no horns…so a creative melding of animal shapes of his own making?

Michael Rimar
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