Loreley is the title of one of Danilo Pravica's oil paintings, but it could almost have been the title for his entire exhibition.  Pravica's paintings speak of the pain and the joy of human existence. His figure studies are about pathos and suffering, but also about the dignity, power and creativity of the human spirit. His seascapes are pure celebrations of sea, sky and brilliant light.

The figure paintings depict groups of robed, faceless human figures, organized as if engaged in some solemn, mysterious ritual.  Like saints on some medieval altarpiece, or shades on a procession into eternity, they hover and float over one another in undefined spaces, and move in unspecified directions. The groups are arranged vertically, so that some figures are higher on the picture plane than others. This gives them an air of authority, as if they occupy positions of guardianship or judgement. Below them there is often a victim, cowering and demoralized. This is the situation in Julia's judgement Day. Such are the ambiguities in these works, however, that the 'victim' could also be seen as rising upwards in order to join (in time) those at the top.

Another possible interpretation is suggested by a couple of the other titles. These are Artist is Born, In Studio and Alchemy of Thinking.  It has been said that all art is about the creative process, and at one level, this could be true of Pravica's work. In these works, the 'victim' is the artist, struggling to translate creative impulses into material form. The surrounding figures represent the environment, from which inspiration is drawn, and which also imposes judgement on the form that it takes.

In Madame Butterfly, the richly coloured robes, the stately gestures, and the mask like faces come together in a solemn drama. They obviously come from Pravica's experiences as a set designer. But Madame Butterfly is a story of desertion and disappointment. Like the sailors destroyed by the Loreley, and like the artist 'seduced' by creativity, she yielded to joy, and was led into despair.

The landscapes, or seascapes, are far more joyful. These are constructed in horizontal bands of almost pure colour. The blues range from dark to light, through many tonal variations. Towards the horizon, the light reaches saturation point. The horizontal  structure, with no suggestion of internal framing, captures the sense of vastness experienced by anyone who looks out to sea on a clear day. Splashes of complementary reds enhance the sense of space, and make the light dance on the waves. Pravica says that he is still overwhelmed by the light and the space in Australia, and this shows in his work.

What also shows in his work is his professional training and his skill in handling paint. The paintings are built up in layers, and here and there, the outer layers are scraped back to reveal some of the underpainting. This underpainting then becomes part of the colour scheme of the finished composition. To achieve this it is necessary to know from the beginning exactly what is required to finish the painting.

There are not many artists who have both something imaginative to say and the technical skill to say it.  Pravica is one of the few who have both imagination and skill.