Strong Water and Ink Water

In the tradition of Italian artist Giorgio Piranesi (1720-1778), known for his bold perspectives and mannerist drama, George Charman draws his inspiration not from Roman ruins or Baroque architecture, but from the contemporary Lisbon Earthquake, which coincided with the famous architect's time. Charman's powerful metaphors depict a civilization in ruins, our very own. These prints, a blend of reality and fiction, recreate the original drawings by M. Paris and T. Pedegache, made in 1757 based on eyewitness accounts. The collapse of a city and its iconic symbols of past splendor evoke a sense of solitude amidst the ruins. These ruins, more than mere remnants of crumbling architecture, reveal the fragility of human creations and their absence in the apocalyptic and timeless scenario of a value system in decline.