Presente! – John Allcock

My interest in the subject of time took a new turn in 2013 when, on a mountaineering visit to the Carnia area of north-eastern Italy, I discovered an open-air museum dedicated to preserving a section of the trenches from the Great War. I was challenged by the idea of war in an alpine landscape. Much more so, however, I was impressed by the continuing importance within the local culture of the remains of that war. The following year I made a second visit, centred upon the village of Timau, and began to plan a series of pictures based upon this theme. My interest in this theme was developed further by a visit to the Monte Grappa area—a critical area of conflict towards the end of the war.

The series is entitled ‘Presente!’, which can be rendered both as ‘present’ (in time) and ‘here’, and in that sense it is the word used by Italian soldiers during a roll-call.

All the items in the series are in acrylic paint on canvas, often with additional textural elements. This series is currently not for sale, although giclee prints can be supplied on request (prices on application.) A fully-illustrated catalogue is available at £3.50.