he works of printmaker Damon Kowarsky seem at home amid Aesop's clinical-meets-creative anatomy-book aesthetic.

Aesop’s laudable mastery of retail space design reflects the pureness of its trademark bottle-and-tube products. So it comes to no surprise that the inclusion of works by Kowarsky lends well to the shop’s established identity; his detailed representations of natural figures evoke a sense curiosity in the same way as Aesop’s aesthetic and products do. Kowarsky’s travels through North Africa, West Asia and the Middle East – in addition to his past work as a scientific, courtroom and archaeological illustrator – have clearly influenced his printmaking, resulting in a childlike, storybook style that brings a sense of flourish and control to his representations of nature.

Aesop’s Gertrude Street and Flinders Lane branches will feature Kowarsky’s playful, clean, and dreamlike prints, which include a metal-plated whale in outer space, two men facing each other with hares on their heads (entitled Hare Piece) and a tin robot playing a large brass instrument.

His work, alongside that of fellow printmaker Kyoko Imazu, will also be featured in an upcoming exhibition at Port Jackson Press. After a two-year, side-by-side collaboration, the two printmakers have wiped off their inky elbows to reveal a series of works that explore themes of nature, science, art and technology.

The exhibition opens this Friday, June 24 and runs until July 17.

Port Jackson Press
61 Smith St Fitzroy

portjacksonpress.com.au