1)    What is your definition of creativity? 

The freedom to express your emotions and innermost feelings.

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2)    How does it feel to express important messages through your sculptures?

 

 It feels great. Throughout the years, I’ve been able to create work that spoke to people and that was also very personal to myself. For this reason, I think that I am able to speak a universal language that others can relate to as well. Similarly, I am able to relate to the audience, although it’s always very personal, you know when you are talking about love and special emotions you are communicating from within, nonetheless I’ve noticed that people relate to this, so it’s been wonderful to see how I’ve been able to touch upon these subjects.

 

 

 

3)    What is the most satisfying aspect of being an artist for you?

 

I think that freedom is the most fulfilling, being able to turn your dreams into reality. I believe, in addition, that any job that offers you the possibility to convert your dreams into experience doesn’t feel like a job at all. It’s almost like a life at play, therefore I am blessed to be able to do what I do, as it is so rewarding.

 

 

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4)  What advice would you give to a young artist who is pursuing this career?

 

The life of an artist is tough because you still need to believe in yourself through all the failures, as well as to not abandon the chosen road. It never gets easy but the rewards are worth all the suffering, as you can make people dream.

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5)  You grew up between Italy and the United States of America; how did the combination of these two cultures affect your work?




Italian masters inspire me to strive for perfection. Growing up in Italy allowed me to experience their work in my everyday life, when I see their art while walking around Rome I wish I could be like them. I know I’m not as good as the masters and never will, yet they inspire me to be as brilliant as possible and to get as close to their harmony and craftsmanship as I could. That is my goal. Regarding the American Art; America is where I first studied and learned art, as well as where I actually started to create and sell my work. Furthermore, I lived there for 20 years. I must, however, say that as far as contemporary art goes, I don’t feel influenced by any contemporary artist. I’m mostly inspired by the old masters.




 

6)  Do you think that there is an interaction between sculpture and poetry?

 

 

 Well, in my case absolutely, I don’t conceive of one without the other, I need poetry to make the artwork or else it would be just a three-dimensional piece. I have always believed, nonetheless, that my sculptures need to go beyond that and into the fourth dimension, which is connecting with people and with the actual piece. Something beyond the physical, and poetry does that very well for me.

 

 

7)  Love is a significant theme in your works. Why is that so? Was your Italian heritage of any inspiration behind this choice?

 

 I don’t think so, not consciously; that’s who I am. I believe that with everything going on in the world it’s vital to spread some positivity, as there is just too much negativity.

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8)  Do you believe love to be powerful? What is your definition of love?

 

I think that love really is the strongest force on earth, it can drive people to do amazing things.

 

 

9)  What is your favorite sculpture among your artworks? Why is that so?

 

 I don’t have a preferred sculpture, I have a few iconic pieces, but I don’t have a chosen one. Force of Nature, Gravity, Hand of God, Give and Receive probably…I’m pretty proud of that piece because it says so much and yet so little. It’s a very simple sculpture but I think that the whole concept discloses a huge concept of life; that really the more you give, the more you receive in the end. I was able to do that just with two hands and a simple circle. I think I was very proud of that piece, but I’ve done others of course, more complicated that I equally like. The Stairs of Life, a lesser known piece of mine, is an example of this, probably one of my favorites.

 

 

10) The hands are another important element of your art. What inspired this choice? Could this also be interpreted as an homage to the craftsmanship tradition?

 

Many things inspire me. My life, my family, my children (who are my biggest source of inspiration), books, poems, things that happen in the world. I chose hands because I want to have a dialog with the public, to have a conversation; we have to do it through a common language. If I did abstract art, it would be a monolog, not a dialog. The hands allow me to get closer to the public through a language that everybody understands and relates to. I find inspiration in everything that surrounds me.

 

 

 

11)  Your sculpture “Support” acted as a reminder of the problem of pollution. Is sustainability a cause close to your heart? If so, are you planning on portraying it again in the future?

 

 Well, I have, in the past, spoken about climate issues with other sculptures; with Force of Nature, with Gaia of course, Support and I definitely think that I will keep on working on that because it is a subject matter that is dear to me. Obviously one of the main reasons is because I have three children and I am so sad about the world that we are handing over to them. They are going to have to fix a lot of things that we have done wrong.

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12) In 2018, your sculpture “Gravity” was showcased at the Alberta Ferretti show. Have you ever considered a collaboration with a fashion designer? If so, who would you like to collaborate with?

 

Yes, I have, but I don’t know there are so many great brands out there, some iconic fashion houses like Louis Vuitton, who have already done lots of fantastic collaborations with artists in the past. It would be wonderful if one day we could work together.

 

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13) With your artworks, you created beauty; what is the essence of beauty according to you? Do you believe that there is a link between love and beauty?

 

I mean, not a conscious link, but I believe in the golden ratio, which is the magical mathematical formula for beauty that many artists have used in the past. It’s present in nature and so through our body, our mind and our eyes we have become accustomed to accepting it as the beautiful number. We see it in the environment all the time with the multiplication of the leaves and so on and so forth, with the seashells. I think it’s something that an artist naturally has embedded within his system; artists are able to recognize, I guess, the harmony in the work. This results in a pleasant view for others; nevertheless, that is not the purpose why I create work. I generate work to transmit images, yet I am aware of course that people eventually want to have these sculptures in their houses and therefore prefer something that’s amusing rather than something that is not. The aesthetic accompanies, but my beauty must accompany the message, without the message nothing is beautiful anyway.

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14) Your sculpture “Volare” is an example of the portrayal of women’s strength through your work. Why do you think that the representation of women’s power through art is important?

 

I think women power is imperative everywhere. I have a fantastic wife and we’ve been together for 30 years and I thank god every day for the relationship that I have. That’s also me seeing a different side of things; as a man, I see one side, while by having a female, my wife, next to me she shows me another side. I always seek images and balance in my art, consequently, it’s important for me to be in contact, as well as aware of other perspectives.

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15) Will you interpret this theme again in the future?

 

 Yes of course, yes.