Italian painter/illustrator/author Caterina Arciprete's exhibit at Scott Memorial Library is a delightful collection of acrylic and mixed media illustrations and paintings on the many-layered theme of the eye.
Observation, vision, perception, penetration, discretion, transparency, immediacy . . . all aspects of the sense of sight are brought into play in this exhibit. Herself a Neapolitan, Ms. Archiprete's view of the world encompasses the eye of Vesuvius and the eyes of history as well as those of modern travelers first experiencing the beauty of the city and its sea.
The exhibit's illustrations include originals produced for children's books: "Stars" (2004) written by Ms. Arciprete, and "The Angel of the Light: Young Caravaggio Dreams His Destiny" (2004) written by Antonella Ossorio.
When air service was established between New York City and Naples, Ms. Archiprete's illustrations were used for a commemorative flyer, and the originals are shown here.
The paintings are acrylic on canvas, paper, wood or Plexiglass. For these, Ms. Arciprete replaces the subtle colors of her illustrations with brighter and stronger tints. Her paintings abstract the human form in a playful game of symbol and sinuousity, always emphasizing the searching eye.
Professor Livio Sossi, of the Università degli Studi di Udine, observes that Arciprete is "one of the most interesting voices of contemporary painting and illustration in Italy."
The show is available for public viewing on the 2nd floor of Scott Memorial Library until the end of April, after which it will continue to be available as one of the permanent online exhibits in the Art@Scott Library gallery. Works are available for sale - a catalog is available at the exhibit.
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