In the meditative space of the artist’s studio, Olivia Theofanis creates UTOPIA – a series of beautiful photographic prints of landscapes onto paperbark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Olivia Theofanis is a fine arts student who practices photographic etching and printmaking. Having become disillusioned with photography and digital photo imaging practices early in her final year, Olivia took up photo-etching – what she describes as ‘the perfect hybrid’ of photography and printmaking. Consumed by artistic processes, her work is hands-on and elaborate. The large spinning wheel of the printing press, the detail in the copper plate burnt by acid through film, the ink that floods its etched surface - every step is delicate and time-consuming. In a vastly digital and convenience-driven world, UTOPIA aims to capture the mesmerising charm in the art of printmaking.

 

Fascinated by the entrancing method of Olivia’s work, UTOPIA was created to capture the beauty that lies behind an artwork. Based on visuals, but supported by interview narration, UTOPIA is an aesthetically-driven documentary that follows the step-by-step process of printmaking and aims to capture the tranquil space that Olivia enters in her artistic process. Slow, rhythmic and relaxing, Olivia creates beautiful circular prints of landscape on bark. To complement the traditional artistic method, UTOPIA is scored with classical music. Fairly poetic in nature, UTOPIA explores Olivia’s intent to become more involved in her artistic process than her work in digital photography allows.