Artist Valérie Dragacci is showcasing about thirty paintings at the Archipel Gallery in the heart of Ajaccio's citadel through September 14. Known as a "painter of color" for over thirty years, Dragacci presents her work as an ode to island landscapes and her Greek heritage in this captivating exhibition.
The paintings feature boat masts and sails, seascapes and shores, rocks, citadels, and churches emerging from landscapes. Through masterfully controlled "semi-abstraction," Dragacci's canvases outline both the real and intimate contours of Corsica, which continues to inspire her work. From her studio in Cargèse for more than three decades, the artist explores her Greek origins and passion for island luminosity.
"I aim to translate impressions and emotions," explains Dragacci, whose creations are in constant evolution. Her most recent works can be discovered through Sunday, September 14, at the Archipel Gallery in Ajaccio's citadel. The exhibition, titled "Colors of the Mediterranean," features about thirty paintings of various formats created with oil and acrylic, displayed alongside wooden and metal sculptures by artist Jean-François Pinelli.
Dragacci works primarily with palette knife techniques, expressing her wonder for raw, mineral beauty on canvas, as well as her dreamlike and ethereal visions using oil and acrylic paints. "For a long time, my style was much more figurative," notes the artist, who pays homage to masters such as Turner, Monet, Van Gogh, and de Staël. "Now I'm turning more toward abstraction while always maintaining a connection to reality. The landscapes of Corsica and elsewhere are subjects of infinite fascination that lead me to translate impressions and emotions. Colors, especially Greek blue and orange, guide me. Sometimes I'm surprised by inspiration that surpasses me."
This constant search characterizes the internationally appreciated and award-winning creator, whose unique nuances serve as an invitation to contemplation. The exhibition runs at the Archipel Gallery through September 14, open from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. More of her work can be viewed at www.artmajeur.com/valerie-dragacci.
