In Conversation with Bruno Sciaraffia

Bruno Sciaraffia was born in Sabaudia, Italy, in January 1950. His natural talent for drawing led him to develop a great passion for art and design from an early age. In fact, rather than considering his artistic career for professional purposes, he dedicates himself to painting and drawing for his own psycho-physical well-being. Holding a brush in his hand and surrounding himself with colours makes him feel free, serene and happy.

The process of creation of his works is based solely on a great passion and admiration of the essence of beauty that art itself encompasses. In addition to the above, Bruno has participated in several exhibitions over the years.
In the 70’s he lived in Milan, participating in various competitions in Milan, Arona and Como. In this period he took part in a group exhibition with painters such as Magritte, Cortiello, Capogrossi, Brindisi Luoratoll, and won the 2nd prize in the “Surrealist Painting” section. In Como he won the prestigious “Premio Lario Cadorago” held in Villa Olmo. A book of this review has been published, attached to Comanducci, with a list of the winners, which can be found in several Italian libraries.
After moving to Naples, between 1979 and 1986 he took part in other personal exhibitions. From 1986 onwards he devoted himself to pictorial research, favouring direct contact with the public and through the Internet.

His style is inspired by cubism and futurism and evolves towards what the artist himself has defined as “Interrelationism”, in which the lines that intersect with the figures unite rather than divide: “no one is an island in his own right”. Despite having based most of his work on techniques such as oil on canvas and mixed media on cardboard, the artist has dedicated himself to the creation of digital works only in the last few years, learning more and more about this world that has captured his attention and curiosity.

What is your artistic background?

I was able to draw and combine colors since very young. I have always loved drawing, painting and ‘interpreting’ on an inner level what I put on paper or canvas. Certain situations in nature, people or even simple objects convey a strong feeling of dynamism and unity to me, as if they were connected to each other by invisible threads. And that is exactly what I try to put out in my works. For the past 10 or 15 years, I have been dedicated to artistic research thanks to the potential offered by the computer.

What is an integral part of an artist’s work?

I think it is research, inspiration and spontaneity. Every artist expresses himself or herself in his or her own way, but I believe that everyone has a desire within (even a hidden one) to improve and evolve. As far as I am concerned, every time I undertake a new work, I go beyond what I have already achieved, towards an evolution through research that stems from the artistic vision of what surrounds us, whether visible or even just intuitive. The important thing is that it is not forced but spontaneous.

What role does the artist play in society?

The role of the artist in society is very important. The artist shows others the romantic, beautiful, authentic side of everything that surrounds us, whether it is visible or not. Of course he does this by interpreting it according to his own sensitivity, which is different from person to person. But the important thing is to show the art, that is, the beauty, especially the hidden beauty, in every situation, object or landscape.

Which art do you most identify with?

After drawing with pencils and color pens and painting with oils, watercolors and acrylics, for about a decade now I have dedicated myself to digital art, which allows me to range in interpreting the Whole we are immersed in, be it people, objects or nature.

What themes do you follow?

What inspires me most is the dynamism inherent in every situation. I’m not speaking of movement, but of dynamism highlighted in my paintings by the lines that, intersecting objects or people, instead of dividing, unite in a kind of relationship. This is why I call my kind of painting ‘Interrelationism’, because no one is an island in its own right despite having its own uniqueness.

Describe a real-life situation that inspired you.

When I saw an exhibition of Caravaggesque painters, I was indelibly struck by the power of light and darkness that brought those masterpieces to life in a dramatic contrast, and provoking a real tsunami of emotions.

What work have you done besides being an artist?

I worked for years in schools’ administrative department.

Why art?

Because I have always wanted to manifest my vision of reality, hoping to encourage others to respect points of view different from their own. It may sound like a cliché, but art elevates the spirit and broadens the mindset, even of those who are critical of the work they are observing. One may not always like or have to like art, but I believe that even if it is sometimes criticized or even opposed, it always takes a step forward and helps the evolution of man’s mentality.

What is an artistic vision of life?

It is the fact of being curious and see the wonder and beauty even in things seen a thousand times or in a single grain of sand. It is to look at something and see in one’s mind how it could be and therefore how it is, from a different and unique point of view: one’s own.

What memorable reactions have you had to your work?

Undoubtedly getting to know other artists, participating in group and solo exhibitions. Explaining my work to others and generally ‘breathing’ art in the various art gatherings I attended, which encompassed painting, sculpture, music and poetry. But mostly I thrill every time I see a shy smile forming on the observer face when he look at one of my works, and I notice that his sight is captured, is aware, even if just for a few seconds.

What food, drink or song inspires you?

More than food or drink, it is music that manages to create for me a state of mind conducive to the creation of a work, be it a drawing on paper or a digital painting. I don’t have a specific song that inspires me, but rather certain pieces from various genres, especially progrock from the 70s onwards by certain groups, in particular King Crimson, Genesis, Camel, Yes, PFM etc.. But also the Beatles from Strawberry fields, Eleanor Rigby and others. Lately I have been drawn to some soundtracks and Celtic music. You can find good tunes in any genre of music.

Is the artistic life lonely? What do you do to counteract it?

No, I never feel isolated even when I am painting alone, because I am focused and that is a good time for inner development. It is the opposite of a feeling of loneliness, as I notice a total fullness, caused by feeling united with the whole around me during the process of physically manifesting the abstractness of my imagination. Otherwise, I have normal social relationships and, therefore, I have nothing to contend with.

What do you dislike about the art world?

Perhaps the excessive commercialization in favour of the famous artist and to the detriment of the emerging artist. Of course today with the Internet, the situation has changed, making it easier for the emerging artist to enter the art world.

What do you dislike about your work?

I generally like every single phase of my work even when, because in my mind I visualize it already complete, I am impatient to finish it, because I have new ideas to realize on canvas or through the computer. But it is only impatience, there is nothing I do not like about my work. However, I would not call it work but pleasure, because that is what I feel when I commit myself to some project.

What do you like about your work?

Being able to internalize an external situation and make it manifest with the paintbrush or PC. I like the state of mind I enter when I am painting on a canvas or computer. It is a feeling of peace, serenity and concentration that makes me feel in the company of myself and, at the same time, makes me aware that I am part of a universal whole. A bit like when you meditate.

Should art be funded?

The answer may seem obvious, but art should be financed, but on one condition: let the artist be free to express himself according to his own sensibility and artistic technique; let him be able to externalize his uniqueness and, why not, his extravagance, his vision, understood or not understood by others, because only in this way he can give the best of himself. Without reins or gags.

What role does the financing of art play?

The history of mankind has been characterized by art and war. War is the dark side of human actions, art is the bright side and the symbol of beauty, and therefore its funding would allow art to be able to spread beauty, light and a positive view of the universe to mankind. Admiring art means seeing the beautiful side of things and receiving inner growth from it.

What is your dream project?

To be able to continue to experience art in a continuous evolution. To be able to continue to pursue my artistic projects as they occur to me. More than an actual project, this is my main desire.

Name three artists you would like to be compared to.

I don’t think I want to be compared to other artists, and not out of presumption, but because I think each artist has his own uniqueness and his own artistic sensibility. Even though his works may resemble those of other artists each one is unique and this makes him not comparable to others.

I love and admire classics like Caravaggio, Raffaello, Leonardo and many others that it would be long to list here. Those closer in time include Picasso, Dali, Van Gogh and others. I like Cubism, Futurism, Surrealism, Abstractionism, Macchiaioli etc. It’s a long list that is impossible to set out in an exhaustive manner.

Favourite place of greatest inspiration?

All places can be a source of inspiration. I can see dynamism and find inspiration in nature, in a person sitting or in a simple fruit. I do not have a favourite place, because inspiration can come from anywhere and at any time, and this is due to my innate curiosity, which makes me observe situations and details that would otherwise go unnoticed.

What is the best advice you have been given?

To be myself and follow my inspiration. Find my own voice and always be true to myself. But this is advice that is good in every field and in every situation. It is simple advice. On the surface. But in reality it is not always easy to follow one’s inspiration, because sometimes it means going against the common mindset. But being an artist means above all this, going beyond imposed limits and breaking the barriers of conformism.

Professionally, what is your goal?

To be able to continue creating artwork with the same enthusiasm and curiosity for the world around me and to grow in my artistic evolution. It doesn’t matter if it is with a computer or oil on canvas, the important thing is to look at the empty monitor or a blank canvas and see what I will turn it into, and that is already in my mind.

Future projects?

I have no definite future projects. I can say that my future plans coincide with my goal: to live in the here and now, to fall in love with every idea that comes to me, to continue to grow artistically and to be able to follow my inspiration in the realisation of my next works of art.