A solo retrospective exhibit of artist and Santa Barbara resident Maurizio Barattucci, whose career spans six decades and bridges continents, cultures and disciplines, will be on view Thursday, Nov. 6-Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Community Arts Workshop (CAW), 631 Garden St., Santa Barbara.
There will be an opening reception, 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6.
Curated by Rebecca Zendejas from an extensive archive of work, many on view for the first time, the exhibit offers a broad overview of Barattucci’s artistic journey, reflecting the spiritual essence of nature and humanity through printmaking, according to CAW.
At the heart of Barattucci’s practice lies a philosophy of distilling the spiritual essence of nature and humanity, CAW said.
“He creates new, eloquent expressions of familiar experiences, inviting viewers to experience the relationships between form, color, and environment through his mastery of viscosity printing, a complex technique incorporating relief printing and intaglio and using inks of varying viscosities on a single etched plate,” according to CAW.
“In the 1970s, Maurizio Barattucci was a leading proponent of innovative printmaking techniques that dazzled the art world during an exciting era of experimentation,” said Lisbet Thoresen, an independent researcher of classical studies.
“(His) prints are masterworks of technical virtuosity that demonstrate meticulous craft skills and artistic sophistication in his handling of the medium … yet his compositions, usually inspired by nature, are unconstrained in their spontaneity, creativity and originality,” she said.
“The exuberance of mastering such a challenging medium with such visually eloquent expressiveness still has the power to command the viewer’s attention 50 years later,” Thoresen said.
Born in Rome in 1939, Barattucci’s early artistic promise was recognized through awards and exhibitions in his native Italy before his emigration to the U.S. in 1956.
Settling in California by 1960, he received scholarships to Art Center School of Design, Chouinard and the Otis Art Institute, where he was mentored by Joseph Mugnaini and Rico Lebrun. He later earned his MA in printmaking, drawing, and painting at California State University, Long Beach, under master printer Dick Swift.
In 1970, Barattucci co-founded a professional print shop in Redondo Beach, California. He played a key role in establishing the L.A. Printmaking Society, serving on the board until he moved to Santa Barbara in 1975.
He taught figure drawing, painting and printmaking at El Camino College and later Santa Monica College, where he served as Art Department chair and dean of the Arts before retiring in 2008.
Barattucci was represented by international art dealer Oscar Salzer for 55 years. His work has been exhibited across the U.S. and Europe, with solo shows at institutions including California State University Long Beach, St. Lawrence University, University of Colorado Boulder, and USC. His prints and paintings have won numerous awards.
The exhibit is free to visit. Artwork will be available for purchase, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Community Arts Workshop.
For appointments or more information, call 805-324-7443 or visit www.sbcaw.org.
