Paradoxes of Plenty #48

In Paradossi dell’Abbondanza #48 (Paradoxes of Plenty #48) – part of the solo show Fame d’aria, curated by Matteo Lucchetti at Lia Rumma Gallery in Naples – the horizon line divides the drawing into two clear portions. In the lower portion there is a rich, colorful and lush environment that recalls a coral reef, an example of happy coexistence between different species in an ideal ecosystem. In contrast, the top shows a series of burning oil platforms. The fish are made using the gyotaku technique, a traditional Japanese fish printing method used by fishermen to record their catches from the mid-1800s onwards. This method of impression, originating from fishermen, resonates deeply with the artist’s work which addressed the difficulties of the workforce, analyzed here together with the relationship between humans and animals.