Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Gianluca Lattuada. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Gianluca, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I found my purpose driven by a desire to make sense of things, offering my personal vision of what I feel and see every day around me—in other words, of the contemporary society in which we live. I believe that even during the darkest times, art has the power to help us transcend the brutal and senseless reality that surrounds us and has the ability to relieve us of our alienation. Simultaneously, it has the power to pacify the moment, instilling a sense of hope.
I draw inspiration from the representation of animals, as seen in fables and myths across all cultures worldwide, using them as mirrors for human qualities. My work delves into the unconscious, capturing emotions, fears, and the energy of individuals. Through my works, I narrate personal stories and address psychological problems such as alienation, depression, apathy, and schizophrenia, often depicting animals engaged in internal battles. I aim to showcase virtues and flaws alike, emphasizing the restless human connection to the primal world. While humanity may have distanced itself from this world, there remains an intense yearning for it, and I believe my art serves to help each person confront their inner demons, grappling with them in their subconscious, viewing problems from an external perspective, and thereby seeking to overcome them.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I would like to provide a general overview of my art through my latest project. Over the past month, I have created four mural works in abandoned places, and one mural piece has become a part of the Permanent Collection at the Paolo Pini Museum of Contemporary Art (MAPP) in Milan, Italy.
The MAPP Museum is a truly unique and enchanting venue, located within the premises of a former mental institution in a large park. Some pavilions are still used to provide social and medical support to those in need, while murals, installations, and sculptures by more than 140 international artists are located in the park and on the pavilions’ walls. In the design process, I carefully considered the hosting environment of the Paolo Pini Museum and the individuals who engage with it daily. My artwork does not seek to overlook discomfort, social unease, and challenges (illustrated by the black background) but rather aims to convey a message of redemption and hope. This is achieved through the use of vibrant colors and a burst of light, symbolizing an entrance to a blossoming forest. Furthermore, I took into account the surrounding setting: the shadows of trees projected onto the wall enhance the artwork, creating a dynamic and ever-changing experience influenced by the time of day and weather conditions.
The first of the four additional murals was created on the morning of January 1st, serving as a wish for a productive and creatively rich year for everyone. What I found most beneficial was stepping out of the studio and engaging with a vast, limitless surface, in contrast to the confines of working on canvas. Unlike the graffiti of my youth (with my earliest memory dating back to 2002), I approached the wall almost exclusively with a brush and exterior wall paint, essentially continuing with the same tools I use on canvas. What I found most personally rewarding was working outdoors—the choice of location and wall, along with the intent to bring art to places where it is absent. These abandoned places, by definition undergoing transformation, allow art to become ephemeral. It can be erased overnight with the approval of a redevelopment project, without the economic or utilitarian constraints associated with commissioned murals. This form of art embodies the freedom and pleasure of creating art for its own sake.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
In my perspective, the key elements crucial for achieving personal objectives, extending beyond the realm of art, include embracing solid values and principles as guiding forces, and demonstrating perseverance and tenacity in the face of challenges and inevitable setbacks in life. Additionally, a touch of unawareness and a hint of madness are essential for cultivating a distinct outlook on things.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
In the face of every obstacle, I like to recall this quote by Albert Camus: “In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gianlucalattuada.art
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gianlucalattuada/
