Elisa Mearelli – papercutting.
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN THE ANIMAL WORLD, FROM A SCIENTIFIC POINT OF VIEW, ANALYZING THE DIFFERENT SPECIES, SHAPES AND BEHAVIOUR; BUT ALSO FROM A POINT OF VIEW RELATED TO ANCIENT LITERATURE, POPULAR IMAGINATION, MYTH AND LEGEND.
gallo nero – work done for the Italian wine company Rocca delle Macìe
I was born in Italy, in 1984. I have always been interested in the animal world, from a scientific point of view, analyzing the different species, shapes and behaviour; but also from a point of view related to ancient literature, popular imagination, myth and legend. Even today, animals are my first source of inspiration.
After experiencing animated film and illustration for children during my initial studies, I found new inspiration in the techniques of classical etching, and later in incision with pyrography on wood. This made me think about marking by finding a more direct relationship between myself and the medium, because the pressure of the hand (and therefore also the emotion and mood ) has a strong influence on the final result. Therefore I wanted to focus on the study of marking, as an invasive and strong action upon the support medium, so I developed the expressive techniques of drypoint on paper and papercutting. Coming from Fabriano, an Italian reference point for paper, I wanted to honor the tradition of my origins by treating paper not as a support medium to cover with the color, but as the true protagonist of the work. No trace of color or pencil, paper becomes a medium for changing and marking time, like a tattoo marking the skin and the soul of its owner. The paper becomes like the skin of the work, which, through precise and delicate work, indelibly marks and freezes time.
Currently I live in Edinburgh.
sea – detail – 50×70 cm 2015
sea – 50×70 cm 2015
ibis – 52×52 cm 2015
pavone – 54×37 cm 2015
