Page 21 - Winter Issue

Imaginary characters are central to your art. Who are some of these characters, and how do they reflect
parts of yourself or your relationships?
I developed a world of animals with my brother, Francesco, under the name Bongles, and my attachment to the rabbit
and ambiguous animal motif stems from there. A lot of the animals also come from children's books I grew up with–
notably the Richard Scarry universe. Some of the others represent major relationships in my life, my family in the house
for example, but I find that the shooting star, house, and fish, along with the others, take on characters of their own.
They exist to cast protection, like a hex, over the vulnerable moments or harsh memories enclosed and sealed in the
more realistic visuals I include.
How has your background in sculpture and photography influenced your approach to acrylic painting,
especially in terms of texture, proportion, and spatial awareness?
Film photo and sculpture are very tactical, often precise, and technical artistic processes. To deviate from the routine is
to experiment. I’ve enjoyed developing a personal process with my painting and then similarly finding ways to
experiment, whether that be layering oil pastels, painting over paintings to create texture, or playing with perspective. I
also know that the many failures I experienced with film photography and darkroom printing directly translate to my
eagerness and confidence in reconfiguring or painting over my work and starting again when faced with failure.
Having studied Art History, how does
your academic background inform the
themes or aesthetic choices in your
work?
My mom is from Italy and I grew up going to
Tuscany every year. There, I had an incredible
education in Renaissance art from my parents,
who took us to every possible museum, abbey,
and church. The motifs I repeat and the way
they cast a sense of comfort and protection
over my work nod directly to ecclesiastical
icons that represent religious values in
European Byzantine and Renaissance work. Of
course, I’m also inspired by a long list of
contemporary artists, namely Cathleen Clarke,
Rachel Hayden, Mimosa Echard, and Sun Yuan
and Peng Yu to name a few that I return to not
only for visual or conceptual inspiration but
also inspiration in career, artistic process, and
the way these artists discuss their work.
In what ways do you hope viewers relate
to the symbols or environments you
create?
I aim to create a familiar visual language
between my paintings. Different renditions of a
house, a shooting star, and an ambiguous
horse become invitations for the viewer to
recognize and reflect on why those motifs
reappear. I aim for curiosity but can’t ask for
more from any viewer, what they glean will
rely on their circumstances.

I’ve hexed you to feel safe everywhere you go
Acrylic on canvas,
100x70cm, 2024

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