What inspired you to create art and become an artist? (events, feelings, experiences...
To be brutally honest, nothing inspired me to create art; it seems that the decision to create is more like an on/off switch, whereas in my case I started to create for no real reason: it just happened, I never forced creation, it always fell and I seized it. As for becoming an artist, as sad as it is to say, I am not an artist, I am more of a visual engineer. I personally don't believe that just because you make art you are an artist. My art is just my personality emerging in various mediums, none of which, at least for me, can survive independently; whether it's the clothes I make, the photos I take, the music I make and play, the lyrics I write and say, the things I paint, the camera movement and framing, all of it is a direct reflection of me, for better or worse, until death do us part.
What is your artistic training, techniques and subjects you have experimented with so far?
I have zero art training. Somehow I managed not to take art classes in high school-the luxury of being from a small town-so I don't come from an art background of any kind. My techniques are that I'm hypersensitive, always alone and hypervigilant. The only goal for me was to make the things I could never afford and to create what I see or feel in my head. I don't know how to answer this question without sounding like I'm applying for a job.
What are the 3 aspects that differentiate you from other artists, making your work unique?
I don't copy, I don't follow, and I don't have expectations. At this point in the artistic journey, there are not 3 things that differentiate someone, objectively speaking. I could say my composition is off the scale, my eye for color and balance and my extreme nature, but there are millions of artists, of all calibers, who would say and feel the same thing. If you look at a Basquiat and then go to pintrest to see similar styles, 100 people could say the exact same thing about themselves. We shouldn't take ourselves so seriously with art.
Where does your inspiration come from?
I'm not sure I can pinpoint it. I'm not going to say extravagant things like love or life, or peace, etc.; for me, I just want to create something, learn something, apply what I've learned. If I had to say something elegant and try to make myself stand out, I would say that my inspiration comes from wanting to see the things I love. I love everything I have done, for the most part, at least what I show; and I would love it the same way if someone else had done it. I just want to see what I love and hear what I don't hate. A trivial answer would be: emotions, feelings, sadness, despair, happiness but in a painful way. I tend to gravitate toward that.
What is your artistic approach? What visions, sensations or feelings do you want to evoke in the viewer?
Again, I don't have an approach. Ideas come to me from the sky, they fall like tetris pieces, and I capture them. I capture melodies for songs from the air, like ham radio signals, it's strange; and I don't force them; if there's nothing there, I don't do anything. I stay busy doing other things, like learning or playing golf, until something comes along.
What is the process of creating your works? Spontaneous or with a long process of preparation (technique, inspiration from art classics or other)?
Spontaneous in its creation, long and preparatory is the other side of the coin of creation.
Do you use a particular working technique? If so, can you explain it?
No, but sooner or later I will employ a defined system, but at the moment I am far from that. I still have a lot to develop before I rationalize and prevent myself from ultimate freedom: when money starts to get involved, I will focus my artistic world, so as to polish all that I am. Right now, I am the lump of coal in the coal mine. That lump of coal could potentially push a train across great distances and bring goods along the way that could improve people's lives.
Are there innovative aspects to your work? Can you tell us what they are?
Innovative in the sense that it is unique to me. I am unusual in my uniqueness, and not in an eccentric artistic way-I was raised by wolves and now I am out in the world alone, trying to find a way to survive in this strange world. It is hard to say that one can be innovative now: innovation, in my opinion, is closer to one's personality/person the more innovative the production. I have impressionist-style paintings with modern situations, but I wouldn't say it's innovative. You only have to look at this site to see that I am not inventing anything. Brassai did the things in slow motion that I do, like 100 years ago.
Do you have a format or medium that you are most comfortable with? If yes, why?
The format I feel most comfortable with artistically is the one I feel least comfortable with personally. It is the hamster wheel of my enigma.
Where do you produce your works? At home, in a shared workshop or in your personal workshop? And in this space, how do you organize your creative work?
I work for any living situation. For example, I can't paint where I am and I can't travel with paintings, so I focus on Music before I go back to making clothes. I will paint at the first opportunity. I will only paint in large format, so I am waiting for that opportunity.
Does your work lead you to travel to meet new collectors, for fairs or exhibitions? If so, what does it bring you?
No. My work does not take me to any of those things. I like exhibitions, but not all of them!
How do you envision the evolution of your work and career as an artist in the future?
I imagine evolving to a situation where I can create freely. So far in my life, this has happened few times, if any. I have a strange life and lifestyle that doesn't follow the norm at all, so it's hard to explain. I see myself in a big room or an old theater, with high walls, high ceilings, white walls, where I can paint wherever I want, have the loud music I want, where I can eat and sleep, and also have a store where I can work on my many projects. To have everything in one place. If I had a year like this, without being bothered by people, I could accomplish my life's work.
What is the theme, style or technique of your latest artistic production?
Fossiled Velocity. That is the theme. The other one is Archaic Patience. I currently have three in progress, the last one is called Fin For Real.
Can you tell us about your most important exhibition experience?
I haven't had one yet. Nothing relevant.
If you could create a famous work in art history, which one would you choose? And why?
Ulysses. It is the greatest work of art ever created, probably, in a relative sense: there is no other literary work in the same universe as that book. I love some of Francis Bacon's works, but is he perhaps ahead of others that are close to my heart? So for me it is Ulysses. As for art, I would combine Bacon, Rothko and Basquiat-that would be the work I would create. It's not a great answer, but I love too many paintings, and many of my favorite photos have been staged. Fan Ho has a photo with a diagonal shadow that I would have loved if I had done it. He made that picture, he didn't just take it.
If you could invite a famous artist (living or dead) to dinner, who would it be? How would you suggest they spend the evening?
Actually I can only think of one artist at the moment, and that is Banksy. I am not aware of who does what in the art world. JAMES JOYCE would be my guest, and we would start by drinking some pastis, talking about sentence length, control, rhythm, and I would ask him a billion questions about writing. I speak five languages, so it would be fun to go from one language to another with him, drinking and listening to music. I would definitely talk to him about music. Then we would go out drinking in bars all over town. He and I would hit it off. Kindred spirits.
Olimpia Gaia Martinelli
