Why did you become an artist? How did it happen?
I draw from a young age. I got my first oil painting when I was 12 years old. It's just a part of me, and I developed my talent through the many activities and academies I participated in. I just want to create, it's a feeling. I think that's the essence of an artist.
What are the 3 things that set you apart from other artists?
Probably the different working methods / techniques that create the diversity and the surprising materials that I use for my wall sculptures, like polystyrene. It is important that I do not create confusion and make a distinction and choose a certain style for a gallery, for example.
Where does your inspiration come from?
I draw my inspiration from society, among other things. These can be problems, but also materials and techniques used today. Other ideas can suddenly appear in my head, related to a certain way of working, for example. Then I often start experimenting and that also gives me new inspiration.
Tell us about the creation of your works, do you use a long preparation for it or are your works of art born more or less spontaneously?
The preparation or not depends on what I am going to do. When I work on canvas, I often study and then paint from there. In the case of my mixed media, it's mostly spontaneous, but before I came up with the idea, I spent at least a year trying to figure out how best to shape it. It requires experimenting and more experimenting.
What are you trying to say with your work?
For me, alienation is something that always comes up in my work. I want spectators to be able to look for something. The easy look is not my thing. In my mixed media, I deal with the many selfies on social media.
Do you use any special techniques or materials for your artwork?
Yes, it is an individual process in which the materials or the way of working are not everyday. This sometimes raises questions for viewers.
Do you have a preference for certain formats? Why ?
I prefer to work on a large scale. My work is often better in large format. I am not generally precise.
What challenges do you encounter in your work?
From the moment you start until the end, it's actually a challenge, because I want to keep up with what comes up and I appreciate the coincidences that can take you in a different direction in your painting.
How do you work? At home, in a shared space, in your own studio?
I have my own studio which is built in our garden.
Does your job require you to travel a lot?
Not a lot.
What was the best moment of your career?
In fact, it's the moments of creativity that you've made your breakthrough. It could be a new idea that comes to your mind or an experiment you have had that you say to yourself “yes, I found it”.
How do you see your work in ten years?
That I continue to develop in all kinds of fields and get more publicity for my art.
What are you currently working on? Are you planning an exhibition soon?
I work on "Greek Gods" wall sculptures. I'm also trying to find out which art fair I would like to attend.
If you could have made a masterpiece in the history of art, what would it have been?
I am thinking of a late work by Degas. Due to his poor eyesight at the end of his life, his paintings have become more interesting to me due to the abstraction that emerges from them.
If you could invite a famous artist (deceased or not) to dinner, who would you choose?
Mark Rothko. I'd like to know what's going on in his head and maybe provide a little distraction from his gloomy state of mind.
Olimpia Gaia Martinelli
| ArtMajeur Magazine
