Myth, Mayhem, Metropolis is Marco Luccio’s latest exhibition showcasing new work seen for the first time in Sydney. Visitors to the gallery will find a treasure trove of monumental myth-making and architectural expression, alongside devious creatures in the form of warrior sculptures, and fascinating old postcards re-imagined as the ground for large scale drawings, all executed in Luccio’s distinctive and visceral style.
There are also cityscapes of mythical New York that Luccio made in situ when he had the opportunity for over ten years to paint atop the Chrysler building – night and day – and call that art deco masterpiece his studio. The paintings in the exhibition were made from that unique vantage point, as well as on rooftops of Manhattan skyscrapers and on the streets of this first and ultimate metropolis, lending weight to the title of the show.
But New York is not the only city captured and included here. There are elegant images of Florence, as well as striking portrayals of Sydney harbour and the harbour bridge that avoid the cliché and celebrate instead the unique beauty of urban engineering structures. In addition, images of Melbourne and Paris feature in densely scratched chiaroscuro drypoints, dynamic charcoal drawings, alongside a myriad of quirky assemblages, bronzes and paintings which depict vivid scenes from a series of books of myth and mayhem which together give the exhibition its title.
Feature pieces include the large drawing made over hundreds of old postcards collected in New York and pasted together to form a canvas which Luccio fills with two figures composed in such a way they could be either in combat or harmony depending on how the composition is viewed. Another striking and moving piece is the massive power Kongo figure measuring 6 feet in height and scratched on a copper sheet of the same size (rare in printmaking) that took the artist 6 months to gouge out and that left its scars not only on the copper but on his own body as well.
The exhibition takes visitors through a journey enriched by reflection on the subjects explored and a growing awareness of Luccio’s technical prowess, a realisation that we are in the presence of a master printmaker, recognised as a leader in his field – mentor, public speaker and ‘creator of his own life’. Luccio is an artist’s artist in the true sense of the word: he lives for his art and that art tells of the ongoing and relentless pursuit of a singular life choice and vision.
Visitors will walk away from the show with a greater appreciation of the full scope of what an artist can achieve in both the variety of mediums and subjects, and in the expression of the human condition. As Luccio says, ‘I would create the work even if no one saw it. Like most artists, I have to do it, it’s a way to feel more human, more centred, more connected to the world, even if the feeling lasts only for a short time.’
