“I am my art and my art is the inner reflection of me.”
Flavius Pisapia is an Italian artist known for his distinct conceptual work. His latest creation titled “Cosmic Rhythms” is inspired by his life in colourful India. It is a collection of poems written by the artist in London and Pune and which talks about his deepest reflections on life and its mysteries. The book also comprises of a collection of paintings entitled ‘The Metamorphosis Paintings Collection’ created in Pune. The series is in couples to show the evolution of one state of being to another state of being. In his paintings, Pisapia has explored the idea of painting with water and adding colour later. This project has given him an opportunity to further explore his ideas and artistic vision.
Could you tell us something about Cosmic Rhythms?
I took inspiration from Anthroposophy (for this project). Anthroposophy is a modern part of spiritual science which enables a human being to gain a deeper understanding of his or her own (self) through nature and the world the individual is live in. Anthroposophy is a Greek word that means wisdom of human beings, but then it’s actually a movement, a spiritual movement. So basically my book, my paintings and my poems have been directly and indirectly inspired from Anthroposophy, which is a movement of art, science and education. You might have heard of the Waldorf schools and Waldorf education which also cover medicine architecture. All these fields have also been transformed by Anthroposophy. I myself have been a keen follower of Anthroposophy for quite some time now and so it was my main inspiration for Cosmic Rhythms. Using these concepts and ideas, I want to explain myself, my inner self to the world around me.
Do you know what you are going to paint before you begin? Do you sketch it out first?
In this case I have been working with concepts, the concept of metamorphosis in particular. Metamorphosis is a process of change. So I had to choose a phenomenon which is not necessarily abstract but real, like thunder or lightning to show the transition through images.
The whole series is conceptualised in couples- two paintings to show the transition from one phenomenon to the next. So I started from concepts. I first thought about what I would like to paint. Sometimes I would go with my intuition and ponder over its name only after I was done painting and on other occasions I would start with a name and then explore its nature keeping the concept of metamorphosis in mind. Once I was done with the first painting, then I would start working on the second painting with the same theme and the same elements but using an abstract concept. So if you look at the paintings it is quite clear that each is a part of a couple and by itself it is just an intangible concept. The whole series of paintings is a conceptualisation of couples.
Because this series was flexible I also tried different styles to express myself. So I didn’t really use the same colours or the same canvases and paper. I sometimes used sprays and on other occasions brushes to do something different, something that I would like to look at and also enjoy while I was painting. For me, enjoying the process of painting was the most important thing. I thought that if I enjoy it then my joy would also be translated into the paintings.
What inspires you to paint and what keeps you motivated?
What keeps me motivated is probably working towards higher ideas, understanding myself and understanding the human beings around me and the environment. Basically I want to be more conscious of everything that happens in the world and also everything that happens in the world inside me. So it’s sort of a journey into the consciousness- into the inner world as well as the outer world and I think that’s what motivates me.
Has your style changed over the years?
There is no style as such, it’s spontaneous. I mean if you look at the series of metamorphosis, you can’t just see one style. I’ve been quiet aware of what I want to use and have only used certain things. I wanted to limit my work for example to acrylic colours and using them only after I had painted with water alone. I like the idea of exploring light and colour, more so now that I live in India. I find India very inspirational as there is so much ‘colour’ here.
How do you know when a work is finished?
That’s an interesting question. I think it depends upon my mood. When I paint I am in a certain mood and that mood helps me to create a certain painting. It’s not a very logical thing- it’s more of an instinctive or intuitional thing.
What is the hardest part of being an artist?
To keep yourself in the state of mind of an artist, to continuously be able to transform yourself and to be aware of that transformation. It is easy to get distracted but you need to constantly be aware of your sensitivity towards yourself and other people and the environment.
If you could paint anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I don’t think that the location matters much because my inspirations come from within. So the external location where I am painting would not matter much. It would definitely have some influence but I don’t have any preferences when it comes to locations. I mean I don’t paint landscapes.
What’s next in your art career?
I am publishing another book with the working title, “Close ups, Poems and Impressions” and this would be another record of my stay in India. It again comprises of poems and I am planning to use the same paintings which I have used for metamorphosis. But I will be transforming them into graphic elements and they’ll be Black and White. They will cover the whole page and will be without any titles.
Have you had any unusual experiences during your career as an artist?
I think as an artist I am already unusual and am trying to be more unusual at the same time by putting myself in the state of mind of an artist.
What other interests do you have besides painting?
Well besides poems and paintings, film making forms a big part of my artistic interest. I am working at a local academy called FAD International as the head of Film Video. I am also doing some commercial projects at FAD.
What advice would you give to an artist just starting out?
(Laughs) Starting out is a big thing by itself. You should not be pulled down by opinions and should really believe in yourself and in what you do. You should also not be pulled down by money. I think what really matters is enjoying yourself and if you can do that then most probably other people will also enjoy your work. If you start with the intention of becoming famous then it won’t really work.
More articles by Ishna Nerurkar
- Pay homage to the war heroes at the National War Memorial - January 13th, 2010
- Rajni-kant take Can’t! He is the Boss! - January 4th, 2010
- Green Christmas - December 22nd, 2009
- Spirit of Christmas - December 21st, 2009
- Sketching and Painting Workshop at Aperture India - December 10th, 2009
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The artist, Flavius Pisapia, has great depth of feeling, knows what he wants while he paints, and seems dedicated to strenghten & enrich his inner self through his art.
Very insightful interview on the artist Flavius .Keep it up!!!
Flavius Pisapia seems to be exploring new depths and heights through poems, painting and the study of anthroposophy. His response to this interview are wise indeed! I wish him All Good Things.
A great piece of writing….very inspiring work!!
well, done , ishna . keep it up.