Jeffrey Dell

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This series was born as a desire to portray the city of Venice, Italy in intense moments of violent, sudden, and devastating disruption and destruction. They are about moments of blind rage and fear that dissipate into solitude, guilt, and remorse. Venice is portrayed as alternately delicate and threatening, beautiful and menacing. I see them as not only about these feelings, but also the ways that we project them onto our surroundings.

As the series progressed, the violence ebbed from explicit to implicit. The large mezzotints, which are six feet wide, and which brought the series to an end, embrace this latter, more complex range of emotions, where the violence is only implied. This makes space for other qualities: pride, guilt, shame, reticence, and solitude.

Although my mezzotints are made with a manual process, and not a photographic one, it is made to reference photography. My hope is to convey a sense of the moment, the weight and speed of clarity and regret.

I lived in Venice for two years, and I would add that I love it more than this statement implies. I don't think I could have done this work if I didn't.