Liste Year
Year of Birth
Country of Birth
Presented by
2020
1989
Italy
Laveronica
I work in a constant reflection around our interactions as humans, as well as our relations with the natural world, nurtured by getting to know different cultures, beliefs, traditions, art, crafts and mythologies, which I combine, depicting situations in otherworldly realms. It all comes together in a mélange of possible universes and dream-like characters which are a reflection of the self, the time we live in and of those going beyond the social constructs creating otherness among people.
The series of paintings I’m presenting for Liste Showtime, together with Laveronica deal with human dynamics, our relation to each other, our need for deep and insightful dialogue, re-thinking all the constructs we’ve been taught over the last 200 years or so. These paintings came to be at a time when there is a need for hope, for the future of humanity and the planet. This is a time of great importance, a moment of awakening. The truth of the matter is we need to work on ourselves first, so we can start changing the world around us, there is no way this will happen otherwise.
Although these ...
The studio as a safe space: I believe my studio is one of the most sacred places I inhabit, even though I’ve moved from one to other many times, it’s a relationship that develops rapidly and intimately. An artist studio is a space of total freedom and even though one can be very judgmental about one’s work, it is the place and time to have those battles, to sit and reflect, to think, and other times - when that lighting strikes on the top of the head, it’s the place where serendipity and spontaneity take the leading role, and maybe, at least for some moments I can forget about myself and completely s ...
Every time I invited someone to sit for a portrait, I asked them to bring some objects. That was already a starting point to get to know them. I really like to listen to stories and anecdotes and share feelings. When I realized that through the process of painting, people could really open up, I thought that perhaps stripping away the layer of clothes was already setting a more intimate tone. The fact of being naked physically emphasized being naked in every other way. There was a feeling of trust and nothing to hide, just two humans interacting.
While the sitter is being painted, the painter is being observed, there’s an exchange of energy, A condensation of moments spent between painter and sitter, which are simultaneously translated into a canvas. Each painting is named after the sitters. Their Altars is complemented by an audio piece, adding another narrative layer to the portraits. (Narrated by Sara Lister)
Portraiture in this case gives an opportunity to dive in and get to know people, who pose together with their objects and paraphernalia. Each person and/or couple challenges notions of gender norms, romantic relationships, affection, aesthetics, and furthermore. This project works as an experiment in the sense that both painter and sitter must tear down the barriers that separate them and become vulnerable through honesty and trust, neither of the players knows how the session will go or how the painting will end up, thus there’s a space for liberty and expression.
As the portraits are a coll ...