Do Something (left) and Discus on Display (right) by Mauro Weiser are among the works that explore male identity and the multilevel relationships that men have with the tools of their trades. Weiser created these works and others at the Maitland Art Center, where he has studio space as part of the Artists-in-Action program. Courtesy Maitland Art Center.
Woodcutter explores work and male identities.
By Richard Reep
Jules André Smith, founder of the Maitland Art Center, engraved a little epigram in concrete above the gallery’s fireplace: “The artist’s job,” it declares, “is to explore, to announce new visions, and open new doors.”
Artist-in-Action Mauro Weiser’s job will be to reveal his new visions in Man and Machine, which will run from October 19 to January 5, 2025. The art center will host a reception for Man and Machine on Friday, October 18, from 6 to 9 p.m.
The Artist-in-Action program, reflecting Smith’s own vision for the historic Mayan-themed campus, provides nonresidential studio space for 12 to 18 months to an established or emerging artist for the professional practice and research of fine art.
Curator Dan Hess sees a direct connection between Weiser and Smith. “Smith wanted the artists to experiment,” Hess says. “He wanted them to embrace new technology and have what he called an explorative approach to artmaking.”
Weiser—originally from Davos, Switzerland, with a bachelor’s degree and an MFA from the University of Central Florida—is exploring a woodcut technique with a high-tech, 21st-century twist.
He uses traditional woodworking techniques—which involve gouging away at planks with sharp objects to create raised images that can then be printed onto paper—in conjunction with contemporary AI-assisted machinery to create images that explore male identity and the multilevel relationships that men have with the tools of their trades.
“My father specialized in carved wood detailing,” says Weiser. “Plastic, mass production and high-speed machines diminished this artisan craft. I’m interested in how one’s identity, when it is centered around manual labor, reacts to this shift.”
Maitland Art Center is located at 231 West Packwood Avenue, Maitland. For more information, call 407.239.2181 or visit artandhistory.org.
