Untitled, oil, acrylic, aluminum foil
& dispersion glue on canvas,
40 x 30 cm , 2011
What are you working on
in your studio right now?
In the first
paintings of 2011 the subjects were often objects or buildings. I find them
fascinating because they contain their own story. In another group of paintings
I relied purely on memories from places and events. I don't try to reproduce
these recollections directly but endeavor to capture in my studio something
that reminds me of the experience. During the last months I have been consumed
by recording the effect of time on my work so I have tried to set a kind of
timetable in my paintings. In my current works I am interested in what happens on the
surface and underneath as it wares away from a treated surface, to raw canvas,
to nothing. I am also very interested in the deterioration process of
objects, in this case the surface of the canvas and the durability of a
contemporary art piece. I'm working
on a series of two-dimensional pieces, some of them on canvas, in which in a
rational and conscious act, I take advantage of natural and accidental events
such as weather, decay, and leaving deposits of earth.
Can you describe your
working routine?
There is a
difference between my life and the way I approach my work. In my daily life I
try to have a routine, this makes me feel good and organized. I like to do
something physical in the morning. After breakfast I go jogging, preferably in
the woods, on soft ground. I need this contact with the nature. This helps me
to concentrate during the afternoon when I work. However when
I work I try to avoid order in every possible way. I prefer uncontrollable
events or accidents. I try to avoid starting a
painting from a point that I already know. A painting could start from a
small drawing inspired from a walk through a snow track or from a detail of
something I've seen. Forms from nature often influence me. Most of the time I
don't have to go very far to find a point of interest. I often find enough
inspiration a few steps out the door of my house.
Untitled, colour photography, 2011
Can you describe your
studio space and how, if at all, that affects your work?
The most
important thing for me is to have a relatively empty space. The melancholia of an empty space appeals to me. There are
places where I feel very secure and others where I feel deeply vulnerable however
I cannot say which of the two would be better. I find that the studio space
indirectly influences the work. A space can change your perception and
approach. The space where you work can help to overcome the initial fear of
starting, it can also give you the confidence to experiment. The studio space
can give you a better understanding of your work and can also allow you to be
more critical.
This is a
special period in my life because I am a guest in an artist residency program
in Leipzig called LIA (Leipzig International Art Program). Here I have a very large space, there are white walls, large
windows and facilities to make the working process easier. Working here has
been easier in comparison to where I usually work in Milan which is quite
hectic or in Belluno which is an isolated place and sometimes uncomfortable.
There are no excuses here in Leipzig not to work and no reason to complain.
Untitled, oil, aluminum foil
& dispersion glue on ruined canvas,
40 x 30 cm , 2011
Tell me about your
process, where things begin, how they evolve etc.
I
find it hard to explain my painting approach because in the studio things
happen very fast, often in a confusing and random way. The approach in my work
can shift rapidly from day to day, even hour to hour. I find it difficult to
work for an extended time in the same way. Since I do not use photos,
sketches or direct references my starting point is always like diving into icy
water. I am interested in the painting process and in how the surfaces are
transformed by provoked accidents.
I
like to work on different types of paintings simultaneously, with different
materials and dimensions, this keeps things fresh and spontaneous. I like to
think of my artwork as one continuous research more than a projection of my
personality or personal life. I do not like the idea of an art work as a
representation of myself or another person.
What are you having the
most trouble resolving?
There
are so many problems to solve when I work. I often don't know where or how I
could start a painting. The problem is whether or not to include some sort of
narrative. I ask myself, 'is it still important that a painting has a kind of
symbolic value? Is the image still the protagonist of the painting?' Perhaps
the most important thing for me is to have an immediate and tactile experience
whilst painting. I try to limit my involvement with the painting and to avoid
giving the painting any personal references. The work is the result of a
process.
Installation view, Crash & Cut Up, studio Cannaviello, Milan
Do you experiment with
different materials a lot or do you prefer to work within
certain parameters?
I use several
different types of materials, every new color and material gives me alternative
possibilities. This constant exploration of materials allows for the unexpected
to happen. I could probably use alternative mediums like video or performance
to create my artwork but I don’t know much about those mediums. I use painting
because it is the medium that I am familiar with.
For example
in a recent work I used a kind of textile called non – woven. I found this
piece near my village in Italy, in the mountains. This piece retained all kinds
of natural residues for more than a decade by being exposed to the elements and
time. Nature transforms the surface, the result being a layering of information
that has very painterly and abstract aesthetic. This piece is also very
fragile, pieces of earth are constantly coming away from the material and the
surface will continue to change with time.
Untitled, soil, sand plant debris,
fine particles & acrylic primer on non woven,
mounted on wooden stretcher
each 290 x 190 cm , 2011
What does the future
hold for this work?
I
feel a little anxious about this subject at the moment because I am in a
situation where my work could take any direction, something very unexpected
could happen, this feeling both scares and excites me. I would love to be less
concerned about this subject. I need to continue to experiment and to further
question my work. I think it's important to be open to falling into the unknown
and not being afraid. I'd like to push my work even further beyond its limits,
for me a medium becomes interesting when we abuse and mistreat it.
Is
there anything else you would like to add?
Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to talk
about my work!
Untitled, oil & acrylic on canvas, 70 x 50 cm , 2011
Complimenti:)
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