Osvaldo Neirotti, Italian plastic artist, passionate about the arts in general, loves to write too. Identified with nature, believes in raising everyone's awareness of the environment and its importance.
Involved with the long-standing arts, shaped the new times, seeking knowledge in order to act more actively in promoting their works, brings important advice, mainly to beginners.
Interview
Osvaldo, tell us a little about yourself ...
I was born in Torino (Italy) and I have always been interested in both art and the study of people; the testimony of these passions are the artistic works that I developed, the 2 books edited by Editora Il Viandante and studies and insights on marketing and advertising campaigns and the development of Company Brands. In the 80 got the Artistic Diploma; early years 90 or attendance of the degree course in Architecture interrupted after having taken half of the exams for serious family reasons. However, I had time to take an important exam as an Industrial Design, certifying myself as a Designer. In the same period I obtained a post-diploma specializing in Graphic Advertising and Marketing and in 2010 I obtained the Master in Style and Design. I'm in love with Books, Restoration, Sports and all facets of art, my muses are life itself, my teenage daughter Marina and my partner Elena.
When he woke up his desire to be an artist?
I love any art form and I have always alternated different disciplines based on humor and certain periods; I believe that sculpture is not just the use of clay, but also the ability to model using different materials or colors, transforming the very nature of objects. My passion started in high school with the huge gray clay bathtubs that from hard and dry with a little water returned to softness, an idea of returning to the origin that has always fascinated me. Over the years, the clay turned into wood, plastic, iron… until today where the same transformable material became the trees; it is important to highlight that I am the only artist who creates True Trees in cities with Natural Colored Pesticides based on Lemon, Milk, Flour, Natural Pigments, Flaxseed Oil and Water. A principle used by grandparents in the field or by many states including Israel, Spain, Greece, USA, etc.., that to protect orchards from parasites, ultraviolet rays and cracks they used and still use to spray the trunk with white lime. I believe that the sculpture can mix with the colors becoming an installation, as much as I translate this idea into Land Art today.
What kind of art do you like best?
I like any art form as an expression of human ideas, we know that the world is in difficulty and that the only way to improve is the creativity that we know how to express.
When this is put at the service of the world or a public, for me it can be called art, a tool capable of conveying a message. This is the ideological aspect that may fascinate me in a dreamlike way, but if I have to consider and respond with arguments closer to the traditional concept of art I can say that I like both art and sculpture, painting, furniture and design restoration, written, theater and also shows in general, I am less interested in digital art that I sometimes find distant from the interlocutors, whether they are art lovers or ordinary people.
How he developed his style (techniques)?
I believe that an artist's style is constantly evolving, otherwise I don't know to what extent it can be considered as such, maybe if the style doesn't change over time the creative stops and for a passionate hobbyist. After a beautiful childhood, I was forced to leave my studies and my part-time job as an art direction assistant to look after my family of origin, my brother was still young, my mother who stays at home and my father lost their children. jobs due to more robberies in their two stores and these events marked me deeply because they destroyed the idea of my imagined personal future, anticipated and for which he had worked for years with studies accompanied by work. I think it was this condition, having to start over and the need to improve my new life that shaped my style, forcing me to improve it in the years that followed, finding current expressions that often anticipate the times. Techniques are overcome by evolving them according to the times, the generations, interlocutors passionate about art, but also the simple curious citizen who wants to know and know another point of view.
Cite if you had artistic influences in your works and which artists?
Being passionate about art in all forms of expression, identifying influences is very difficult, perhaps because they cannot be defined in depth; I believe that if you realize, observe and study changes, you are automatically influenced. However, if I have to say and think about the artists that have impressed me the most over the years and centuries, I must admit that there are some that I consider to be masters, but not for the works they created as each work is subjective, but because they knew how to anticipate and embrace innovation and change. Among the artists I can quote Leonardo da Vinci, Brunelleschi, Canaletto, Picasso, Dali, Andy Warhol, Botero, Jeff koons among the main; each of them including the writer and poet Luigi Pirandello had the ability to create, inventory, think in a new way anticipating your near future, often created works that became masterpieces.
Do you have a family member or acquaintance who is an artist?
I almost always made works to order, whether pictorial or sculptural, that is, I rarely did exhibitions of specific sculptures and that the most seen are the works that turn out to be the union between painting and sculpture or the Earth. Art. Earth paintings of trees in cities or those in molded vases to acquire other forms are perpetually displayed in public or private spaces with plenty of time for people to get to know me. The trees on the land became references in the neighborhoods, became artistic works – Environmental – Social belonging to the community and to all families living in that area. Another important aspect is that these ideas of mine allowed me to be a co-founder of the Art Movement GoArtFactory known in Italy, whose ranks include about 650 artists; this reality became an Artistic Family.
Living from art is possible?
Yes, But it's too hard.
Today's artistic reality is for the few and often few identify with those who have money to spend or who have friends or privileged positions, in these cases artistic skills are not necessarily excellence. This thought pictures an Italian reality in the rest of the world, maybe it's different, but in any case i believe that today to be able to live from Art you need to be prepared and not just artistically. Today the artist is obliged to educate himself in various subjects, not just artistic; today's artist must know marketing, the society, the economic situation, communication techniques… anyway, should dedicate part of his activity to concepts not related to his art, but to promote and manage your work. I believe that today the art world has changed to such an extent that the condition in which the Gallery, the Agent and whoever sends a series of works to him and the artist creates them no longer occurs; the artist today is an integral part of the whole process, from the study of the work to the delivery, going through the sale and its strategies. My initial statement is above this last concept, often this world based on the economy and the wallet also travels alongside the Artists. I want to make it clear that it is difficult to establish and live on art, but it is possible that you need to be prepared in many disciplines and that Talent is more necessary to stay in fashion.
Ever thought about not acting with more art? can comment why?
Sincerely, I never imagined my life outside art, because it is my way of being and influences all the thoughts of my day. Art is a way of thinking, agir, see the world with multiple points of view; of course to live art for a long time, without economic possibilities and without knowledge, I had to do many other jobs. If I have to take stock, I must admit that for years I held and held positions in functions very close to the world of art, for example, Art director, Brand Developer, show ticket sales management, design companies, etc.
What skills are needed today for the artist?
I believe that making a distinction between artistic typologies is a perspective that differs from being able to understand what are the real skills needed to be or become a Sculptor.
Obviously, we need skills that make the artist a sculptor, skills that are no longer just knowing how to work with clay, but skills that go beyond; today there is technology and the possibility to choose between dozens and dozens of materials. Both the sculptor and the artist from other disciplines must know society, the history and needs of society, for example, it is unthinkable that today an artist is out of the world, problems such as environmental protection, social inequality or poverty in some territories as opposed to others where uncontrolled consumerism prevails.
What do you feel when you create or appreciate a work of art?
The concept can be expressed in two versions, the first if I look at a work of art that is not mine, the second if I am the author. In the first hypothesis, I am fascinated and fascinated by how a human being can create something so beautiful. I express this concept considering the fact that I personally believe that everyone can make art; if I think of my daughter that when 5/6 years managed to make me do a certain thing satisfying his own desire without saying a word, but only with a deep and lively look, the concept of creative capacity becomes clear.
In the second hypothesis, if it is one of my jobs, whenever I'm excited and do my best to create what I have in my head and thoughts, I rarely do it again and start over if I don't like to continue working; the problem comes at the end, when i finish work. Unfortunately or fortunately the finished work satisfies me in the first few 15/20 initial seconds, so I realize I don't like it, the severity with myself and the idea that the Human Being is a great being capable of great results makes me think that everything done by him or her, can be achieved better than the result had before the eyes. This slight dissatisfaction allows me to want to study more, wanting to discover new things and stop myself from stopping without ever progressing in the result and style.
Your inspirations to create a work of art?
This question is easy. Inspiration is the world around me, from my family to the murder of an elephant in Africa; social networks, to Internet, the television, today they allow you to see and observe everything sitting in an armchair without leaving your home and the ability to identify yourself generates inspiration.
Which art has impressed you the most so far?
Because my desire to always discover new things and the desire to navigate and express myself in new things always makes me especially like the works that I do last; or as I said before, never being 100% pleased, it's hard for me to tie myself to the work, but rather to the ongoing project that ends with the birth of the Work itself.
I am currently tied up and totally immersed in the project called Natureza Urbana, an Artistic project – Environmental – Social combining Written (books) – Land Art (sculpture and painting).
In this project, through words, I remove the masks of the Human Beings that are conditioned by them. Masks are used to live in society and the hectic life, a difficult life, work problems, family concerns… do not allow us to linger around us and are the same masks that protect us momentarily.
Not seeing what surrounds us also obscures our view of real environmental problems, inequalities, the difficulties of the cities and the people who inhabit them; painting trees metaphorically sculpting nature itself allows them to be seen, all i do is give them a mask. Seeing a Colorful Tree in the neighborhood or in the city awakens us from the numbness of absenteeism, making us realize the nature in the city itself; a vision hitherto unknown, but able to make us aware for hours of the problems that surround us.
You must always be creating or creating only at certain times?
My mind can't stay still, it is in continuous development and I can't stand still, I need to continually perceive and express myself. Since I was a boy it was always enough to sleep 3/4 hours a night to rest in the morning, this allowed me to always have plenty of time to create; if during the day I worked trying to give the best to my family, at night I could make Art; fortunately today I live from art and I can create during the day, but despite that day at night I still imagine, creating works and projects.
The product of your work is unique or has a close or distant relationship to your previous work?
As I mentioned, I am the only artist who creates this type of art with Trees, but it is also true that, as I mentioned above, I believe that the artist must have additional skills besides knowing how to create; are premises that outline a more complex aspect. As far as I'm concerned, I've always been passionate about Marketing, graphic advertising and behavior analysis of the human psyche, attitudes and peculiarities; these passions basically became the previous job. Considering that the artist must put himself in society to try to be a witness of the present, but also a precursor to something beyond, he is obliged to know human behavior, technological developments, the trends… he must fundamentally know in part the propaganda. From these statements I can draw a conclusion: that I basically never quit my previous job, the difference I make now in the service of my art and my personal career; before it was a job I did for a living.
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What are the challenges of art / artist in the current scenario?
The challenges of art, nay, To the artists, depend a lot on the goals that each one establishes, because it is advisable not to forget that art is expression, Culture, creativity…, but it's also work and income. We must also consider whether the artist wants to stand out or not, even not for other artists, but inside museums, various galleries and exhibitions; all of these are aspects that must be considered in order to make a sensible analysis and formulate responses. I was considered, I must admit that I am an Artist and a Writer who wants to be recognized and appreciated; I don't think it's for money, power or anything less noble, I simply believe that artists like me want to be able to send a message and would like it to be shared and positively valued by those who observe their own work. Thus, the artistic challenge is to win, overcoming all negative situations that are not part of art; I can make these assessments considering the Italian world, in other countries I don't know if there are better or worse similarities.
Social networks have helped you to spread your work?
We must start from the assumption that Social Networks, just like the whole internet world, can help a lot, but also taking a lot. You can certainly reach thousands and if you are good up to millions of people, but you must know how to use them and so it is advisable to learn web marketing techniques and the like. Otherwise, there is a risk that expectations will fail, demoralizing those who use them; For example, I had to study, understand and make my own the techniques applying myself and taking a certain time. Time spent on social media is certainly time taken from creativity; here we reconnect with the fact that today the artist, if you want to succeed and be valued, can no longer think exclusively about creating, but must work and get equipped for other tasks performed years before by any collaborators.
How plastic arts can contribute to education and culture?
We start from the assumption that the art always contributes to personal and stakeholder growth; but if we want to consider only sculpture, we can consider some important aspects. We must consider the constant evolution of new materials increasingly suitable for different artists, I believe that the points of sale as well as the applications. Then there are other considerations to make like everything that relates to the environment, the growth of cities, the recovery of material already used…, they are all aspects that involve both the design with physical and digital models as well as the traditional figurative sculpture aimed at. In a production that is an end in itself, but able to explain, tell and show different concepts and thoughts.
However, we cannot forget that in all the past centuries the Human Being has always wanted to surround himself with Statues and Objects that remember the past and the present, sculptures capable of showing the innumerable human abilities.
How you analyze the qualities of a work of art?
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Assuming that art is subjective, I believe that the fundamental thing is the emotion that it conveys; it seems a banal and repetitive phrase, but in reality it continued for centuries to express the most appropriate aspect to define whether we are facing a Artwork or not. Having established that it is a work of art and not a respectful creation made by passionate hands, it is necessary to understand how the work imposes itself in the collective imagination asking what it can transmit not only to art lovers, but to the world around you. We. Always considering what we have already said, we must consider that perhaps not all established artists are able to create important artistic works today.
What are the criteria for stipulating the value of a work of art?
I'm not a critic or a collector and that's why it's hard to value a work; Obviously, if you ask the author, the answer will be invaluable, but you should already understand if the creator is an artist or a lover who does, unfortunately these two conditions are sanctioned by galleries, collectors or influential people. Having made these considerations, valuing a work of art depends on the market and demand and does not necessarily coincide with talent; today there are so many interests and tools to manipulate the value of everything that art does not go beyond this condition.
Talk about your projects today ...
Continually. I believe that whoever believes and is considered by others as an artist is fundamentally and undeniably partially self-centered; it's not a bad word or condition, but simply an artist who exposes, a writer who publishes books, a musician who acts etc. are artists who want and seek consensus, so they want to satisfy their creative nature with the recognition of others. This situation is also in my way of being and if we add a certain self-criticism to everything I do, talking about projects is a way to understand if they can please the public, if you have parts to improve, if we are on the right path; it's basically a test that the artist goes through, even if then do what you think is best.
What's your advice for those just starting out?
Study, study, study, observe others, understand the market, observe the events that surround us and that happen in the world, always wanting to question and always be curious and eager to understand and see new things, evaluate if you want to lead a complicated life that does not necessarily return what every artist deserves. After accepting all this, understand if you have talent and want to never give up; so do it, Knife, Knife. Finally, look for and find collaborators who believe in us and help us organize, to represent us and help to spread our idea and our art.
If you want to leave a message ...
I like to think that “The world is run by those with power and money, but it is created by those who have ideas”.
About your exhibitions, have any comments regarding, feelings…
I am lucky that my works are present both in public environments and in squares, Gardens, streets and both in galleries or similar bodies and, therefore, be able to capture the emotions or feelings that arise both in ordinary people and in art lovers. I believe that public reactions, whatever it is, and the feelings or emotions that he manifests, are essential to assess whether the message we want to convey arrives and is perceived and understood.
So I think if no feeling, nice or not, is expressed during exposure, means that the exposure didn't work.
Could you comment on some artistic curiosity?
Today I remember a beautiful aspect in its enormous tragicity, an event and a reality that causes me joy and pain at the same time. About a year ago I was called to carry out a Work of Urban Nature at the entrance to an important center in Torino (Italy) specialized in inclusion in society, at school and in total care for children and adolescents with cancer.
This Center is called Casa UGI and for the inauguration a great street party was held where the new headquarters was presented, my work, the encounter with freestyle motocross evolution rider Vanni Oddera who became a motorcycle instructor. -Therapy, debut on stage by a girl with years of leukemia called Veronica wrote a great joyful and tragic story at the same time. On that day Veronica decided to participate in the important TV Talent Program Tú si que vales, in editing 2020 she participated successfully, but it was your swan song, and passed away a few months ago. It's a sad fact, but it makes us reflect on how much art is able to unite and give joy even in the most diverse situations.
How would you define your art in one line?
An easy question to answer URBAN NATURE; coincides with the same name as the project.
As previously stated, Art must transmit one or more messages and be of service to people also to improve the artist's own life, but also from those who observe and live it.
I currently believe that some of the world's problems are the protection of the environment and inequalities, I like to think that somehow with my art and my ideas I can make citizens aware so that everyone feels more involved in protecting the planet and equality between human beings.
Social Media:
Facebook Fan Page: @Osvaldo Neirotti
Instagram: @osvaldoneirotti
Amazon (books): @Osvaldo Neirotti
* Thanks to Buana Lima, plastic artist advisor, for all the pertinent information the interview.
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