Here’s a watermelon image which can serve as an acknowledgement of the Palestinian genocide.
I fell in love with his mezzotint prints when I first laid eyes on Avati’s work. Amazing. Especially his colour work. This process is very demanding where the artist coaxes an image from a prepared rich black ground, usually on a copper plate. This is accomplished with burnishers and other tools after having roughened the copper plate surface with a mezzotint rocker. Can’t do it, I don’t have the patience and dedication it requires.
Mario Avati (1921–2009) was a renowned French printmaker of Italian descent, celebrated for his mastery of the mezzotint technique. Born in Monaco, Avati developed a passion for art at an early age and studied at the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. He became particularly known for his exquisite still-life compositions, often depicting fruits, vegetables, and everyday objects with remarkable detail and texture. His work is characterized by a deep sense of realism and a meticulous attention to light and shadow, achieved through the labor-intensive mezzotint process.
Avati’s prints gained international acclaim, and he exhibited widely across Europe and the United States. He was a member of the Société des Peintres-Graveurs Français and received numerous awards for his contributions to the art of printmaking. Avati’s legacy endures through his influential body of work, which continues to inspire artists and collectors alike. His pieces are held in major museums and private collections worldwide, cementing his reputation as one of the 20th century’s most skilled and innovative printmakers.