Interview with Mauro Perucchetti
Rebellious, original and innovative. We’re talking about Italian Sculptor Mauro Perucchetti, known for his political Hip Pop Art and colourful resin sculptures.
Recently, the artist’s fascination with a country that, according to Perucchetti, ticks with patriotism and strong sentimental love for freedom, the US, led to a collection of objects for a project titled Don’t Mess With The US. According to Perucchetti who always uses his head as the first place for inspiration, Don’t Mess With The US was inspired by a fascination of “people fascinated with protecting their way of life, as if they are saying – don’t mess with us and let us not mess with it.”
We spoke to Perucchetti about his unique art movement, his resin sculptures, Don’t Mess with the US, as well as his upcoming projects.
fluoro. You describe your art as Hip Pop Art. How is it different from regular Pop Art?
Mauro Perucchetti. I often think that the art world likes to place artists in neatly labelled files – cleverly devised titles pinned to the movements that creative minds mostly were, or are supposed to belong in. I understand that this can be quite helpful if you are an archivist, but it gets more complicated and tedious when it gets down to sub-movements and offshoots of other schools. Let’s look to the list of over 150 art movements {referring to Wikipedia]. I can tell you that belonging to an art movement is helpful at a party if you try to describe what you do without the other person falling asleep but, apart from a few exceptions, I think that being placed in the same box as others, no matter how illustrious, for having similar styles, philosophy and goals, would greatly frustrate me.
What happens if I decide to change and wear a different jersey tomorrow? Would that be seen as lack of direction and inconsistency? In an attempt to comply, as I wouldn’t want lovers of Pointillism to waste their time on me, I called my art Hip Pop Art as a version of Pop with a distinct personal style, politely opinionated, with great attention to aesthetics and jewel-like execution. I am absolutely delighted that my recently founded Art Movement does not appear on the list. Have I managed to be so creative that I make art different from anyone else? I hope so, and I am pretty sure of it.
f. What is it that sculptures can achieve, that other forms of art cannot?
MP. The phrase DO NOT TOUCH does not exist in my vocabulary. I am obsessed with textures to the point were I have to touch paintings as well. I suppose I like 3D, but it also has something to do with who I am as an artist. When I sculpt I achieve what I have in my head with engineering precision. When I paint, even if I have a definite image in my mind, I always end up being carried away with abstract apparitions and improvisations. It is as if I am more attracted to the techniques and the desire to experiment with different mediums.
Sculpting is a bit like recording music in a studio while painting is like performing live on stage.
f. What are the qualities that you like about using resin?
MP. I love the translucent property of resin and how it reacts to light, something I play with. I love the way I can achieve beautiful sensual forms with powerful yet delicate colours, a quality that makes it quite unique as a medium for sculpting. I am surprised by how unaware most people are, even in the art world, of the intricacy, skills and techniques required to operate with this medium especially on a large scale. I also used to like the fact that it really was not widely used, possibly for the reasons I just described.
f. What kind of reaction do you aim to draw from your audience through your work?
MP. Instant gratification from the first look, and a smile from the second.
f. Tell us about your new show Don’t Mess with the US.
MP. We have been going through times of dramatic changes in the world during the last few years and, whatever happens in the world, the Americans seem to always be involved as they play their role of Super Power. Hard to miss. However, a lot is going on inside that country as well, and what goes on internally is equally complicated and challenging. Why do I care? I love the States, and apart from being such a powerhouse of creativity on ALL fronts, the States are the equivalent of a Hollywood star with all the attributes that make movie stars so unique and admired or detested. The truth is that when you are famous, people look at you and have opinions, sometimes even about your personal life. I am more interested in what the Americans themselves think of their country and what they like or not. The body of work I put together is based on feedback I had from listening to and observing certain issues that make Americans tick with patriotism and love for freedom, both very strong sentiments.
f. Why the US? Why not… Don’t Mess with the UK, or Australia or Italy?
MP. There is only one Hollywood!
f. Tell us about your work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation?
MP. I was fortunate to be asked to participate in the wonderful program of vaccinations that the Foundation is implementing world wide to help underprivileged children. For this campaign I created a Jelly Baby Family combined with another of my sculptures called Love Serum.
f. What’s in store for 2015?
MP. The most imminent thing is being asked by the City of West Hollywood to exhibit a sculpture in front of the Pacific Design Centre and the MOCA building. Something my wife and PR agent Lorena has organised. I also think that this year we might be moving to California.
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While the future holds a promise of more sculptures from Perucchetti, the artist also revealed to us that he has taken on painting again, something he used to do a lot in the past but chose to never show. Perucchetti’s sculpture Michelangelo 2020 A Tribute To Women (female David) will be exhibited as a public installation in the City of West Hollywood next to Pacific Design Center and The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles.
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