DSC03215.jpg (2011) Photography by Domenico Russello

Born in Tourcoing, Domenico Russello grew up in the working-class neighborhoods of Roubaix. His parents, Sicilian immigrants, settled in this town of weaving and crossbreeding in the early 1950s. His father is a colorist in a dye shop and his mother does embroidery and sewing at home for individuals. His brother Joseph, six years older, has been painting since the age of eight. At a very young age, painting and drawing took over in Domenico Russello's life and occupied almost most of his time. Classical school bores him terribly.

In 1985, without training, with only his creativity, he joined the ALIBI graphic arts studio. Self-taught, in 1987 he moved towards computer-assisted publishing on Macintosh SE, a revelation. The same year, he was recruited by the photoengraving company NordScan where he was trained in chroma and the use of the most important graphic stations of the time (Crosfield, Scitex, Siemens). Very quickly, he became manufacturing manager . He was contacted by the largest photo composer north of Paris, Nord Compo, for the integration of images into its production chain. At the beginning of 1990, he obtained a test version of the Photoshop 0.0 software on MacOS. Domenico Russello would then be one of the first in France to use it in a graphics production line with a Macintosh II. In 1992, the Internet revolution had recently taken hold in France. Curious about this promising technology, he joined the Robinson studio; a young startup from Lille. He produces advertising spots lasting a few seconds for the web. He also developed multimedia sites hosted by the internet service provider Nordnet, integrating texts, images, sounds and videos, which was very innovative for the time.

2000, 180° professional turn. Tired of infographic creation, he abandoned the world of images to devote himself to the artisanal creation of jewelry. He stayed in the Ourika valley in Morocco, to immerse himself in Berber jewelry. Upon his return to France, he met a Tuareg jeweler from Niger, Abdoulaye Albaka, providentially passing through Roubaix. The two men become strong friends and Domenico Russello responds to the invitation of his new friend who invites him to discover his country. Two months later, at the beginning of 2002, he went to Agadez. He is very impressed by the multitudes of ethnic groups that make up Niger and by the incredible creativity of Africans. It is particularly marked by the singularity of the Tuareg jewelers, who, with rudimentary means, create wonders from their little anvils. Very inspired by these new horizons, Domenico Russello was introduced to local jewelry and designed his first collection. At the same time, he produced several photo and video reports on the making of Touareg crosses and on local traditional festivals. .....

• Nationality: ITALY
• Date of birth : 1961
• Artistic domains: Works by professional artists,
• Groups: Professional Artist Contemporary Italian Artists