Andrea Barzaghi
Artwork’s Title: Suggeritore (Prompter), 2020
Materials Used: Oil on canvas
Studio Based: Milan, Italy
Can you tell us about the process of making your work?
I think making art is similar to the act of filtering. What do we see, what do we read, what do we hear:everything we experience is raw material that meets in ourselves. We work as storage tanks from which a new matter will be filtered. What is sieved out is the art work, thrown back again into life.
In the practice instead, in the studio, paintings take birth from an action-reaction principle. After having decided upon a direction, each form, each color, suggests a new one – and the picture grows. It is a process that has a quite clear beginning, but that can lead to a very different result from the starting idea.
How did you come up with the idea of the “Suggeritore” painting? Is there any story behind this artwork?
There is no specific idea behind this painting. I don’t want to “illustrate” a certain thought. As I said before, the whole life meets on the canvas, not just a single interest.
There is a starting reflection that triggers the process. But, throughout the painterly development, it expands, it changes. When finished, the painting should be a vibrating thoughts sedimentation, otherwise it would be too static. Not really interesting, at least in my opinion.
The starting point of this painting is suggested by the title itself “Suggeritore”(Prompter). In this case the painting was triggered by considerations about taking decisions, looking for the right path and so on.
Can you mention any artists you, lately or generally, take inspiration from?
There are many artists that inspire my work. I become aware of some of them only retrospectively. Lately I got fascinated by the work of Milton Avery and Jochum Nordström.
How do you know when this painting was finished?
When the process of action-reaction that I mentioned before was complete. No further reaction was possible.
What about the place where you work? What’s your studio space look like?
My studio is an orderly room. I try to keep it as empty as I can. I can’t work with chaos around me; I need the highest concentration.
I have a big barren white wall onto which I place the painting I’m working on. On the opposite side I placed an armchair where I seat and observe the canvas. Sometime I have the feeling I am duelling with it.
Is there any particular message that you wish your viewers can take from this painting?
There is no particular message that I want to impose to the viewer. For me it is really important that who is looking at the picture uses his own experience and cultural background to build his own interpretation. The painting itself is just a spark that ignite it.With a too defined message I could interfere in this. In my opinion, an artwork should stay as open as possible.
Which exhibition did you visit last?
I visited “Pablo Picasso x Thomas Scheibitz _ Sign Scene Lexicon” at Museum Berggruen in Berlin.
Which are your plans for the near future?
There is some paintings that I absolutely want to realize.
Additional Paintings
http://www.andreabarzaghi.com/
© All images are courtesy of the artist