Using the shadow as the source of artistic exploration has guided Viscardi’s work for over 30 years. It is his insight, that the shadow comes from one thing yet reveals another, that informs his creative process and encompasses the entire range of his artistic expression.
THE LIGHT PROJECTING WATER PLAZA FULL SCALE: 1”= 1’-0”
MODEL: 1/8” PLEXIGLAS CUBE 10”X10”X10” ON A 1/4” PLEXIGLAS 18”X18” BASE
THE LIGHT PROJECTING CUBE
VIEW WITH LARGER REFLECTIVE BASE
INTERIOR VIEW OF LIGHT CUBE
BALLOON FRAMING Pencil on Mylar 15”x 30” Published in The Journal of Architectural Education, Volume 72, Issue 1 (2018)
PALIMPSESTS OF PRIMITIVES COLLUDE ON LAYERS OF MYLAR TO FORM NEW COMPOSITIONS
PALIMPSESTS
When doing my shadow drawings, as my hand draws the layered shadows with a 4B pencil, it smears the lead onto the Mylar surface. Layers come and go into focus as the planes in the palimpsest collude to initiate new fields and focal points. The focus of the eye moves nearby then far off as it scans the visual field.
LEVITATE-TOWN pencil on Mylar size price
PENCIL DRAWINGS ON MYLAR
This series was the first of the 3’x6’ Shadow Castings completed in 2005-6. This entire series was part of a Solo Exhibition in Buffalo, NY.,at Gallery165 in 2007. It also lead to my promotion to Full Professor at Lehigh University’s Department of Art, Architecture and Design
“SHADOW MAP TWO” PENCIL ON MYLAR 3’X6’
“TRACING TIME TO MEASURE SPACE”
The work of this exhibition was begun during Anthony Viscardi’s 2011-2012 sabbatical when he was awarded a MacDowell Colony Fellowship to continue his theoretical drawing/visual investigations on “shadow mapping.”
This video is documenting my solo exhibition at the Zoellner Arts Center in 2013
Primitives—Stolen Shadows
The Primitives are full scale inkings on paper made from the original shadow mapping exercises. Once these are complete, the shadow is severed from it’s optical contract with the object. The ‘Primitive’ is free to become a potent generative form from which future drawings and 3-D constructions are spawned.
‘TRACING TIME TO MEASURE SPACE’
2013 SOLO SHOW
The Zoellner Arts Center Gallery, Bethlehem, PA
CLICK ON PICTURE TO LINK TO A GALLERY TALK BY ARTIST
INK ON PAPER
INK OF PAPER
INK ON PAPER
‘THE ARCHITECT’
The steel sculpture is a large version of the original basswood model. It was the first shadow model that initiated my creative research into the power of the shadow. It became the focus of an entire body of work including ink drawings, airbrush paintings, monoprints and itaglio prints and 3D laser cut constructions.
metal sculpture 9’X5’X2’ fabricated by Eli Hess [former student]
BASSWOOD MODEL
MODEL, DRAWING AND REVERSAL PRINT
LINE DRAING ON CLEAR MYLAR
BLACK AND WHITE REVERSAL
EMBOSSING 24"X36"
LIGHT CUT OUTS OF EMBOSSED PRINT
INK AIRBRUSH ON MYLAR 24"X 36"
INK AIRBRUSH ON MYLAR 24"X 36"
INK AIRBRUSH ON MYLAR 24"X 36"
INK AIRBRUSH ON GLOSSY MYLAR 24"X 36"
INK AIRBRUSH ON MYLAR 24:X 36"
Shadow Landings
An immersive art commission from the Allentown Art Museum
November 2016 - March 2017
Video is a documentary of the exhibition “Shadow Landings”
JANUS
Two Sided laser-cut sculpture based on “The Architect”
18”X 23” DOUBLE SIDED WOOD VENEER
SCULPTURE AS EXHIBITED IN THE BETHLEHEM CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY
‘THE COLONIST’
THIS PRIMITIVE CALLED “THE COLONIST” WAS GENERATED DURING MY ARTIST RESIDENCY AT THE MacDOWELL COLONY. LIKE THE ARCHITECT IT WENT THROUGH SEVERAL 2D ITERATIONS WITH INK, PENCIL AND AIRBRUSH.
"THE COLONIST I" INK ON WATERCOLOR PAPER
"THE COLONIST'S UMBRA 1" 24"X 36" AIRBRUSH ON MYLAR
"UMBRA II" INK AIRBRUSH ON MYLAR 24"X36"
"UMBRA III" INK AIRBRUSCH ON MYLAR 24"X 36"
“THE BACHELORS”
THE IMAGE REFERS TO DUCHAMP’S
‘THE SOLDIER’
THIS IMAGE IS A MANIPULATION OF A FORMER PRIMITIVE TO ADD DYNAMICS ESPECIALLY WHEN MULTIPLIED
"The Soldier" image was a manipulated composite of 'The Colonist' using PHOTOSHOP
An assembled regiment appeared soon
"Momentum' Silkscreen 24"x36"
The Sundial
The character of a shadow assumes the form of the surface upon which it falls, demonstrating that, even though the shadow comes from its object (the gnomon), it belongs to the surface on which it falls. In this work, the form of the shadow, captured as it traversed the topography of the plaster cast, is incised into the surface to excavate a new foundation from which to imagine a new object.
‘PRINTS OF DARKNESS’
IN 2015, I BEGAN TO CONCEIVE THE POTENTIAL OF THE PRINTMAKING PROCESS AS A MEANS OF REFLECTING OR RE-CASTING MY SHADOW DRAWINGS. ENGAGED IN A VARIETY OF PRINTMAKING PROCESSES, INCLUDING CALLIGRAPHY,ETCHING,SILKSCREEN.VISCOSITY PRINTING AND EMBOSSING. I WAS EXPOSED TO A NEW WAY OF INTERPRETING THE WORKWHEREAS MY SHADOW DRAWINGS ARE PROJECTIONS OF THEIR OBJECTS, I CONSIDER MY PRINTS THE INVERSE OF MY DRAWINGS CAST IN A NEW FORM…SHADOW CAST IMPRESSIONS,PRINTS OF DARKNESS
”ESCAPE FROM PRISM”
“My new exploration into the Light which casts the shadow but now it is the Deeper Light, a Spectral Light,which gives rise to a New Dimension of the Shadow”
‘THE SPECTRAL SHADOW’
THIS SPECTRAL SERIES IS DEDICATED TO MY DEAR COUSIN FRANK FERRANTE FOR BEING ABLE TO SCUPLT WORDS AS I DO SHADOWS.
THE SPECTRAL SHADOW SERIES
SHADOW SAMURAI
PERFECT STORM
INFILTRATION ZONE
DIVIDED WE FALL
‘DRAWING IN’
My Visual Journals
Through the act of drawing, the eye acquires a tactile sense. The world is perceived through a focused view and drawn with a disciplined hand. For me, site drawing allows time to be frozen and for a pregnant moment, I am enveloped by the presence of the world that surrounds me. My own visual journals are traces of the present, recording memories in line. They are evidence of my personal being... my signature of the moment.
Plein Air Drawing
One month fellowship from Study Abroad Italy in Florence, Italy 2012
PRICING
$1250
LIGHT PROJECTING CUBE
CUBE IS MADE OF 1/8” THICK PLEXIGLAS 10”X10”X10” ON A 18”X18”X1” 1/4” LAYERED BASE
$ 1500 unframed
SHADOW MAP ONE
3’X6’ PENCIL ON MYLAR IN 4’X 8’ PLEXIGLAS AND STEEL FRAMED. +$500
$1500 unframed
SHADOW MAP TWO
3’X6’ PENCIL ON MYLAR IN 4’X 8’ PLEXIGLAS AND STEEL FRAMED. +$500
$2200 special exhibition frame
BALLOON FRAMING
Pencil on Mylar 15”x 30” Published in The Journal of Architectural Education, Volume 72, Issue 1 (2018) frame size 19”x 37”
$2200 special exhibition frame
ARIEL ARABESQUE
Pencil on Mylar 13”x 32” frame size 19”x 37”
$2200 special exhibition frame
SPINAL TAP
Pencil on Mylar 13”x 32” frame size 19”x 37”
$1500 unframed
JANUS
Pencil on Mylar 18”x 24”
$ 750 unframed
DON’T LOOK UP
Pencil on Mylar 11”x14”
$2000 framed
URBAN MIMIC
Pencil on Mylar 34”x34”
$650 unframed
BIRTHING
Pencil on Mylar 11”x14”
$450 unframed
STAND TALL
Pencil on Mylar 8”x10”
$650 unframed
WHERE DID IT COME FROM
Pencil on Mylar 11”x14”
part of THE COVID SERIES