on display the “WOODS DAMARE” by Maria Grazia Dallera
In the past the wood it was the only shipbuilding material and the mainmast was the symbol of the ingenuity of the shipwrights who knew how to choose the ideal log for the right piece of the boat. The prints of the ancient sailing ships are dedicated to these masters, still an example for today’s sailors.
The exhibition, conceived, studied and created over the last few years specifically for the Galata Museo del Mare, perfectly adheres to the museum purposes of the structure, which has always been at the forefront of enhancing the sea in its various aspects: economic, adventurous, historical, always with an eye to the environment and to the use of recyclable materials such as wood.
Maria Grazia Dallera it is known as the “lady of the trees”: it tells of a wood that is a living and pulsating material, enhances the culture of its use and reuse, as well as that of natural materials to improve the quality of life. Tackle an original theme with simplicity; its woods enhance, on the tip of china with delicate hints of color, the scents of the Ligurian land and sea. The artist draws trees almost exclusively because they “speak” of many topics to those who stop to “listen” to them: his message is that culture and art give serenity and encourage them to overcome difficulties.
The exhibition opens with the reproduction of antique prints: “San Giorgio l’barcadero”, dedicated to the ancient port of Genoa, “Darsena”, located where there is now the Galata, the caravels and the Santa Maria di Colombo. The images summarize the exhibition and enhance the love for a multi-faceted city, famous throughout history for its courage, ingenuity and commitment. The tour then continues with the drawings of the trees. Some images appear in the usual colors; others, monochromatic, capture the personality of the represented tree well. The imposing cedar could only be red, the warm chestnut has a brown heart, the poplar is delicately blue, the pine is “evergreen”. In the world there are about thirty plants useful for seafaring; on display you can see the best known of the Old World and ten “strips of bark” to identify them and admire the different types of cracks and shades obtained by watercoloring coffee grounds, cocoa, tea, walnut husk.
The poster of the exhibition is the collage of three exhibited works that the visitor will be able to recognize: The galleon with figurehead that makes the imagination sail towards adventure, exploration, the trades of the past, the oak and the fir that remind us that the future is in the resources natural, in the careful use and reuse of the same. The exhibition is accompanied by a catalog, in collaboration with Mu.MA and the Association of Sea and Navigation Museums Promoters.
Timetables Galata Museo del Mare: Until 28 February the museum is open from Tuesday to Friday from 10 to 18 (last admission at 17); Saturday and Sunday & holidays from 10am to 7pm (last admission at 6pm).
For information and reservations: www.galatamuseodelmare.it