Contest 8 - Winner's Interview - Cesare Pinotti

Please tell us about your journey as an artist?

I own a mechanical design studio and began painting in 2010 as a completely self-taught artist, except for a brief initial period when I attended a course with a local artist.

I began by copying works from the past, especially those of my fellow citizen Gaetano Chierici, who lived in Reggio Emilia between the late 1800s and early 1900s.

His highly detailed and precise hyperrealist paintings allowed me to acquire the technique necessary to express myself effectively in the figurative field.

What is your medium and why did you choose it?

I believe my profession has influenced my choice of painting style. Rigour and precision are the hallmarks of a technically skilled profession. This inevitably guided my choice towards a simple yet accessible style of painting, especially for non-experts.

I am, in fact, convinced that a work of art must be understood in its basic concepts. Certain strains I find in certain abstract or informal works, often found by artists who don't know how to paint but want to follow current trends, I honestly don't understand and find them misleading from the true purpose of art, which is to evoke emotions in those who approach the work.

What was the inspiration behind this work?

I've submitted two works, if I'm not mistaken. Not knowing which one was chosen at the moment, I'll describe both.

Affinity of Souls: It's essentially a message of peace. In my opinion, it's only the encounter between two pure souls, such as that of the clown, a profession often marginalized and second-rate in the circus world, but precisely for this reason uncontaminated by the logic of power or anything else, and the dove, a symbol of peace and interaction between different species.

The Weight of the Mask: Pirandello's warhorse. We all wear a mask when we interact with others. Sometimes we do it to protect ourselves, other times thinking we can interact better without showing our weaknesses. A typical attitude, especially among women, is the refusal to accept the passage of time, an inescapable condition of the human condition.

Who is your favorite artist? Why?

Aside from the aforementioned Gaetano Chierici, the artist I refer to is undoubtedly Caravaggio. The reason is easy to understand: my works often draw inspiration from the approach he established over 500 years ago. In the modern field, an artist I unconditionally admire is Roberto Ferri, precisely because his style is very close to Caravaggio's but contextualized in our times.

If I had the opportunity, I would definitely purchase a work by Roberto Ferri. It's very close, if not identical, to my concept of art.