Q&A
What is "Equality in diversity"?
Equality is such a widespread concept that sectors across modern society are actively striving towards and yet, interestingly, one of our earliest and toughest lessons in life is that it is not fair- that we are, in reality, not born equal. Some may be born into war zones whilst others into upper class wealth; some people endure severe physical conditions whilst others go through life with minimal health issues.
For me, the essence of feeling equal in such a diverse world lies in the innate goodness everyone has. To act towards this means helping individuals, in whichever way possible, become more familiar with themselves- with who they are, what ways of life feel fulfilling for them, what kind of acts makes them come alive. Listening to one another and acknowledging our differences enables appropriate conduct of thoughts, words and actions, that is to say, in respect and mutual understanding towards everyone we meet, which eventually will foster a world that feels equal and safe to live in. When you become in touch with your uniqueness, you uncover how you're not that different from the person next to you, or those passing you in the street.
How long does each piece take?
When pencil drawing was my focal point, each piece could take anywhere between 10-30 hours, which usually equated to a couple of months, due to having lots of school commitments and homework.
I begun painting in the last year of A-Level, before moving to university, and I remember my first solo piece took just over 60 hours. This didn't feel like a lot, for any free time I'd have from study I would be at the easel* (to the right) because I wasn't interested in partying. (*By that I mean a piece of mount board on the floor of my shared kitchen!) I continued to critique and study my work against my idols of photorealistic mastery, including Chuck Close, Diego Fazio and Gottfried Helnwein. I noticed the enormous scale on which they painted and took on the endeavour of increasing the scale of my next portrait: Tupac Shakur ("Tupac Amaru Shakur"). (To the left. Click the name above to see complete work.)
Why is art a significant- but not the sole- mode of communication for you and the work you want to do for others?
Art is just one of the branches of expression that grows in line with my values. It is a visual way that can communicate universal understanding without the need for words, and I think this is particularly powerful because everyone possesses so much intuitive knowledge that can be felt inside when we see something resonant or captivating that has come from someone's goodness, just like moments of awakening.
It is also a form of documentation of my journey as an aspiring humanitarian- a way to map my visions and the experiences of encounters I have (had) with others. It is in this that I feel is the meeting point between the routes of direct human interaction (such as languages, engagement with other cultures and altruistic action) and creative output. I learn more about myself and society with every project, whether it be historical, emotional, ancestral or spiritual. I love movement and I think this manifests as not wanting to just draw and paint about what I- or others before me- want to change, but to actually do something about it too.
So, define this idea of "harmonising systems":
Having never felt I fitted into the mainstream empowered me to see where and how crucial institutions, such as education, can update their current systems to better accommodate the diverse needs of our youths, of whom are the future. (See bottom of page for more)
Humanity never stops striving for these "golden" qualities of world peace, love, clarity and stability, yet why does this kind of reality remain elusive, despite the incredible human advances in technology and science? The mental health crisis today is larger than ever before and many people in the West are looking to creativity and spiritual practices- such as meditation- for refuge. For me, everything starts from within.
Cultivating the internal system refers to introspection: developing oneself as a wise, unconditionally kind being able to support one another in this shared process to peace. For instance, in January 2023, I became a practicing Buddhist of the innovative Japanese branch, known as Shinnyo-en, who aspires that with selflessness, loving kindness and understanding of the nature of life, anyone can help many people lessen their suffering. However, we don't need to hold the same beliefs or follow the same lifestyles to help humans feel greater peace and contentment. Buddhism has become my guide to the way I approach life and people, but with compassion I know everyone can discover their own way to improve the compass that is our internal relationship with which we navigate the Earth.
This is why I see a world of peace is not as far as we perceive, for it is already in our own hands and hearts, but in my eyes it cannot be sustainable to update one environment without the other. To succeed as a happy family requires both internal and external actualisation.
Why hyperrealism? (What made you choose this style?)
Sensazioni
Pencil drawing by Diego Fazio
To be honest, it was the initially the sheer wow factor that captivated me and what I begun to find with others. It reminded me a lot like the reaction that a magician elicits from the crowd- that feeling of wonder and expansion it activates in the mind, except with photorealism there is no trickery involved. Within this, I hope there is a lasting message that people take after the arousal subsides: what is possible stretches further than they had thought.
From a technical perspective, the method of using hyper focus to attain minute detail to high degrees of accuracy provided an outlet that I had long sought after, which allowed me to transform the frustration and discomfort of severe sensory sensitivity into a product that imbues a huge amount of joy in myself and others. The relief that comes from this is the reason why I can only describe the essence of art as liberation.
This doesn't seem to stop with just one style, for my recent experiments with abstract art showed me a totally different way to experience a sense of space and magic. It was just like dancing; that spontaneously unique movement of pure vigour and instinct. The result is I have been inspired that my next project is to be the beginning of a fusion between the two creative realms, which I am optimistic to witness how it shall elevate my work to a higher dimension. That is, merging intense detail with raw human emotion, because what can be more real than that? I see now this may end up defining, for me, the true meaning of the word: "hyperrealism".
You exhibit quite a range of artistic media and styles in your portfolio. Do all your pieces share the same message, regardless of their visual diversity, when you create them?
The short answer is: yes.
From the micro view, of course every work revolves around a unique subject matter with a specific message, but from the macro perspective, the values they come under are the same across the entire portfolio. For instance, Remos is a mixed media piece exposing the reality of homeless immigrants in the UK, whilst Mother And Child is a tribute to the bond formed through adversity between my mother and I. They appear unrelated, but the intrinsic qualities with which I created them are the same, just like the people themselves- that is, love, wisdom and a passion for raising human awareness of our interconnectedness. Yet, just like humankind, the visual forms that they take manifest uniquely through each creation.
As I said, I am seeking with every new endeavour to bring about increasingly mesmerising experiences when the eyes meet the canvas, such as plans to incorporate abstract elements and more thought-provoking layouts that stir emotion, rather than the traditional copy of a photograph. This touches upon the idea of 'mind negativity bias'- the hardwiring of our primitive brain to be drawn to the unknown, which, in modern day contexts, translates to drama (because it is mysterious). However, we all recognise that the world is already full of this and whilst art is an incredibly powerful platform to voice pain, I regard it as equally important to offer a vision about what comes next, and to make people feel uplifted when they look at my work. Hence, whilst keeping 'dramatic' visuals in mind, a positive message is really important. In other words, this comes down to what can we do about the issue raised, because too often we focus on what we don't want instead of directing our imaginative energy to how we would like things to be. I must, therefore, push boundaries every time with the aim to make my pieces both emotional and visionary. To me, that's where the foundations of positivity serve a vital role in the skeleton of successful expression.
Elaborate on what you have in mind when you say "innovative education"?
In short, it is the vision of a creative, interactive approach tailored for modern day living. There are so many subject areas that have incredible real-life application which are yet to gain a place in the school curriculum, not to mention alternative ways to learn that are so much more effective and enriching than the traditional rote learning (memorisation) method.
The challenge is having to meet the demands of hundreds of children per institution, which unfortunately has an effect on any system in high demand of becoming a mass-produced process. For those who struggle to comply because it is not the right fit for them can be extremely damaging and too often leaves their development stunted with an internalised impression that they are failure, unintelligent, unworthy of support or incapable of success. (Myself included.) For the sake of those people in particular, I would love to see other options be more widely available for children and teenagers.
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Finally, can you sum up in one word what art means for you and your aspirations?
Freedom.