Oliveira at Crown Point Press

In my art rambles, I often forget to go south of Market, which is a shame because there are two fine galleries there, Crown Point Press and Aurobora Press. Crown Point is currently showing a new series of etching of Oliveira’s work, beautifully displayed in their large, well-lit galleries. The work is based on his interpretation of the human figure and most of the larger pieces are in shades of red and orange. The only problem with the show is that the glare from the windows makes it difficult to see some of the larger pieces. So, maybe it’s best to visit on a cloudy day; I confess that I didn’t have the courage to ask the staff to lower the blinds.

The large prints are titled Rocker, Standing Figure and Bird. In Rocker and Standing Figure, Oliveira uses spit bite and soap ground aquatints to create rich hues and strong, bold contours. While the figure in Standing Figure is firmly anchored on the ground, the figure in Rocker is unstable with her legs extended in mid-stride. Rocker is a continuation of a series of prints and paintings in which a nude figure stands on a rocker. Oliveira has said that the Rocker group is about “moving back and forth, keeping your balance.” I personally liked the smaller pieces better because their informality and spontaneous line showed me the hand of the maker.


Crown Point Press
20 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Tel: 415.974.6273
February 14 - April 5, 2008
Images from the website; some text from the press release