Inspired by every corner of this island Maurizio Boscheri’s

Italian artist and conservationist latest work will be on show at the Casa Serena Gallery

Agile and graceful cats, multicoloured birds, small frogs and primordial insects move with cautious unselfconsciousness almost completely without traditional reference to perspective where every element of the real world is transformed to another place.

Italian artist Maurizio lives a long way from Sri Lanka but his thoughts, and his art live here. Maurizio Boscheri is an attentive connoisseur of animal species and vegetation and he loves depicting animals that are facing near extinction.

“I chose to paint wildlife in Sri Lanka for the exuberant shapes and natural colours of endemism; I think from butterflies, birds to leopards, the colours and contrasts are very pronounced. Nowhere have I seen such a sight! My art is inspired by every corner of this beautiful island,” he says.

“I was struck by the ease in which you can admire the wildlife in parks, gardens, or even along the streets. Probably this peaceful coexistence between humans and animals is a cultural facet of Sri Lanka,” he says.

Maurizio is also a conservationist at heart and has collabo- rated with a number of nonprofit organizations for nature preservation. He is an oil and mixed media painter. Once he finishes a painting he does wonders by adding various mediums. In doing so he creates surrealistic backgrounds.

Maurizio’s latest collection of paintings presented with the Embassy of Italy will be at the Casa Serena Gallery in front of Police Park at 112, Havelock Road, Colombo 5 from August 17 to 27.