Award-winning artist Marco Luccio’s latest exhibition, Manhattan Dreaming, will open at Melbourne’s fortyfivedownstairs on the 25th of September. An astounding collection of paintings and drypoints, Manhattan Dreaming reveals an artist who, having achieved an enviable level of intimacy with his metropolitan muse, is now able to capture her lines, angles, moods and movement with a spontaneity bordering on instinct.

Luccio is constantly chasing and challenging his own boundaries, and there can be no doubt that exciting new ground has been broken with Manhattan Dreaming. The paintings in this collection—some of which span 6 feet in height or width—were all painted in situ, often amid heavy pedestrian traffic (and interest), in single sessions stretching up to seven hours. Scenes commenced in daylight are layered over to depict the night-time hours in which they were completed. The constantly changing features of scenes—both human and non—are captured in evocative hazes that suggest both their arrival and departure. The energy that went into producing these works is immediately palpable: they are, in a very real sense, exhilarating to view.

Complementing the canvas-grounded hustle and bustle are Luccio’s drypoints, which, eschewing the monumental bridges and buildings so recognisably Manhattan, have taken on the no less iconic scene of the New York City diner. Copper plates and tools in hand, these pieces were also created in situ by Luccio and delightfully capture the unabashed eccentricity and character of some of the city’s most legendary haunts.

Long-term followers of Marco Luccio’s work will find their appreciation of his expertise and artistry taken to a new level, while first-time viewers will have the fortune of being introduced to an artist who continues to bravely explore and expand, creating beautifully striking works of art in the process.

Images: photographed by Sina Basila

marcoluccio.com.au

click here to watch a 3min film of Luccio painting in New York