Geneva-based artist Eliana Marinari specializes in crafting abstract and emotive portraits and floral landscapes. Her works, composed of layers of aerosol paint, exude a captivating aura, reminiscent of the fleeting images we encounter when we first open our eyes: silhouettes devoid of intricate details yet brimming with essence-the quintessence of memory. Following her studies in Florence, Eliana further honed her skills in London, delving into the interpretation of realism in figurative painting at Central St Martins.
Always in pursuit of innovative methods to showcase her artistry, Eliana pushes the boundaries of memory and figuration through the ethereal ambiance of her series, inviting viewers into a realm where the tangible and the intangible intertwine seamlessly.
Marinari employs the technique of sfumato with remarkable finesse in her paintings, imbuing her works with an ethereal quality that blurs the boundaries between reality and fantasy. Derived from the Italian word "sfumare," meaning "to evaporate" or "to fade," sfumato is a painting technique famously associated with Leonardo da Vinci, characterized by subtle transitions between colors and tones, creating a soft, hazy effect.
She utilizes sfumato to evoke a sense of mystery and ambiguity in her compositions. By skillfully blending colors and diffusing edges, she creates an atmosphere of uncertainty, inviting viewers to interpret her paintings through their own imagination. This technique lends her work a dreamlike quality, where figures and landscapes seem to emerge from the mist, their contours softened and indistinct.
One of the most captivating aspects of Marinari's use of sfumato is its ability to convey emotion and mood. By modulating light and shadow with subtle gradations, she infuses her paintings with a sense of introspection and introspective depth. Whether depicting a solitary figure lost in thought or a tranquil landscape bathed in twilight, her mastery of sfumato allows her to capture the fleeting nuances of human experience with poignant sensitivity.
Her adeptness with sfumato enables her to create illusions of depth and perspective within her compositions. By manipulating the interplay of light and shadow, she conjures spatial illusions that draw viewers into the pictorial space, encouraging contemplation and exploration.
In essence, Eliana Marinari's use of sfumato serves as a testament to her technical prowess and artistic vision. Through this subtle yet powerful technique, she transforms her canvases into poetic meditations on the enigmatic nature of existence, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the evocative world she creates.
March 14, 2024
