International Art Incubator Foundation - Factory-Art

RICCARDO ATTANASIO - IT
STATEMENT
Since I finished university in 2006 I moved to London
where I opened my first atelier, continuing my work focusing
on Painting e performance. My paintings has involved
the creation of conceptually based sociopolitical but
mainly spiritual contents . The technique is mainly oil on
canvas. I like working with the line. My paintings and performance
use the line as a visual representation of the
breath. In my painted work I deconstruct human figure
with the simple use of a black line. I like working with the
sensation of space and exploring the power of fullness
and emptiness. What I do is just out lining the figures I
paint leaving the white background uncovered. When I
paint I like to feel free to explore the black line on white
background that is for me needed since it gives me the
sensation of clarity. I believe that for an artist mistakes
do not exist it is just a tool for further development, to go
beyond. My performance history is very broad too. I use
performance to get out of my studio, to meet my audience,
to have direct feedback, to share with others. There
is a relation in between my paintings and performance,
even when I work on photography, although the content
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can seem to the spectator different. The thing that links
all the media I use is breathing. Each work I make is in
relation with my life, it is all like a hi-tech personal diary,
where I write my experiences with the media I use. In
2004 I began going to different dance classes since my
passion for it. From that year I began exploring relaxation
techniques, contact improvisation, Butoh. My interest
for the body and anatomy of it has increased even
more. It was not anymore an indirect experience (like
drawing muscles and bones) it became feeling my skeleton
and all body system on my own. I started to be very
interested in meditation. Meditation has a huge influence
in my work. It is leading me to the desire of sharing more.
That is why I began my street performances. In 2002,
with 3 collaborators, I managed to empty a supermarket
pretending we were shopping. We were only emptying
the shelves so the next shopper would have not found
his desired product. That action has been made in order
to raise awareness of our dependency by the supermarkets.
This work is titled ?Powerless market?. From 2011
I am focusing on different street happenings, I am exploring
the boundaries of normality, how strong habits
of everyday life are bounded to us. We have rules that
became part of our genetic code. Rules lead us to behave
in a certain way. I work in the streets a personal reappropriation
of the city where I live. When I do a street
action I often have to deal with police, irritated citizens,
strange glances but at the same time I have plenty of
satisfaction which comes from smiles, interest, will to
understand what is my action about and why I am doing
that. Interesting conversations with people I meet. When
I perform in the street I like to be focus but never ignoring
the people around me, it is part of it. My aim in art is to be
able to open people’s perception. When is a painting, a
performance in the theatre or in the street it has the aim
of connecting us as human beings.
Riccardo Attanasio