MAURO VIALE - ŌKĀRITO & KŌTUKU

Hand-printed linocut collage on fine paper Schmincke professional linocut inks G . F Smith fine paper Hand-carved, printed, cut and assembled by the artist Unique original artwork Ōkārito & Kōtuku reflects Mauro Viale’s connection to the West Coast and time spent exploring its bush, landscape and wildlife. The composition draws on the colours and forms of the region, with the kōtuku — the white heron — emerging within a fragmented world of geometric shapes, organic forms and layered texture. Rather than describing the landscape literally, Viale breaks it apart and reconstructs it through his own visual language. Birds, rock formations, water and vegetation seem to appear and recede as the eye moves through the work, creating a scene that sits somewhere between observation, memory and imagination. The artwork begins with linoleum blocks carved and printed by hand using professional linocut inks on fine paper. The resulting prints are then cut into individual shapes, rotated, layered and reassembled into a completely new composition. Variations created during the printing process remain visible, giving each element its own texture and character. The result brings traditional printmaking into a contemporary collage practice, transforming individually printed fragments into a unique, highly constructed original work.