Drifting Skies R

By Anita Iacovella

$800

ARTIST STATEMENT

"Nature and the skies have influenced the way I see the world which I believe has been guided by my ancestors in some way and of course the influence of my parents who immigrated from Italy, Abruzzo to Australia, Geelong.

Travelling to a new land with vast skies to dream of new life for their future families. Being of 1st generation Australian/Italian my upbringing here was dissimilar to my peers but has drawn me to be sensitive to people, nature and cultural community around me. I was highly supported by my parents to pursue art from a young age, to develop an understanding of my own cultural identity.

Imprinting cloud forms onto a surface as a way of documenting the journey from one’s place of origin – land and sky – to a new destination. The earthy red /brown hue symbolises the Australian terrain, while the passing grey, blue and red skies represent the experience of travel and migration.

The work evokes memories of both past and present, with new skies emerging to symbolise the journey from one place to another, while also acknowledging the fading memories of ancestors who preceded us. I recognise my own place here in nature, on Wadawurrung country, as the core of my origin, shaped by my family’s migration here.

In these works, I use soft mark making pressed onto the textured surface, guided by a sense of lost cultural memories and the anticipation of new ones. The blending of past and present skies reflects a continuous connection to my ancestors, who travelled before me. Ultimately, the work highlights the important of the spirit of land and sky."

BIO

Anita Iacovella is an artist and educator who specialises in monotypes and mixed media drawing and painting processes. Her latest works examine the ephemeral qualities of the cloud and the blue spectrum of light, air and water within nature. Documenting over the last 10 years the cyclic changes to the clouds she has observed within her local area Wadawarrung, Geelong.