Meet Gianluca Lattuada | Visual artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gianluca Lattuada and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gianluca, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risk is a part of art and the artist’s everyday work, not just in terms of the uncertainty they face throughout their career. The biggest risk, in fact, concerns the creative aspect. Every artist tries hard to push beyond their comfort zone, delving into the deepest parts of themselves. They must constantly innovate, finding a unique language that can be understood and appreciated beyond market trends.

I personally strive to achieve all these goals through a classic medium – painting on canvas or a wall. This means confronting myself with a two-dimensional surface of finite dimensions that many colleagues consider limiting. I believe that practicing contemporary art with painting is risky but also stimulating. Painting is honest and can convey the artist’s soul. It may seem simple aesthetically, but at the same time, it can hide many layers of meaning, becoming complex and profound. It can be appreciated and understood by anyone, reaching to evoke emotions through even a small canvas.

In the end, I believe taking risks is essential to evolve as an artist. Without risks, there is no innovation. Constant experimentation has allowed me to discover new possibilities in the medium of painting and to keep growing as a creative. Each work, starting from the concept and research behind it, represents a kind of journey into the unknown. I am convinced that only by embracing risk can one leave a lasting mark.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I would like to share the paintings from my latest series, “Tales” of 2023. In this collection, each painting tells a story in the original Greek-Latin sense of the word “fable,” creating a rich, fantastical world full of symbols. Throughout history, people have used fables and myths to tell stories about realities and mysteries beyond our understanding. Every fable has an element of entertainment, represented in this case by the aesthetics of the painting, and a metaphor or meaning for life. Even today, despite the passing centuries, it’s still possible to achieve this.

In each of my works, I aim to tell a story that carries with it tradition and culture, often related to the exhibition project and the place that will host the artworks. For example, in my solo exhibition at the prestigious Gran Museo del Mundo Maya, Yucatan, Mexico, I presented a series of paintings created during my stay in Mexico. These pieces were inspired by what I personally experienced and saw, such as the colors of the walls of houses or “pueblos magicos” I visited. They include references to pre-Hispanic culture, the local economy, and gastronomy, as well as tributes to Mexican artists.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In addition to recommending a visit to museums such as the prestigious Phoenix Art Museum, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), and Heard Museum to dive into art history and local indigenous culture, my suggestion when visiting a city is to try to connect with various organizations that make the contemporary art scene vibrant through exhibitions, workshops, courses, and events, such as Arizona Artists Guild, Phoenix Center for the Arts, and Artlink Inc.

Moreover, I always suggest trying to get in touch with local artists and visiting their studios. An artist’s studio is an intimate space where you can have a conversation about the creative process and see firsthand the “behind the scenes,” where everything happens. This is ultimately the space where creation precisely takes place, and with the energy and generative atmosphere, it becomes an artistic territory worthy of being known, frequented, and experienced.

On that note, I invite readers to reach out and connect with me to arrange a virtual studio visit via video call to get to know each other and share more about my artistic research.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost, it’s important and enjoyable for me to receive feedback from people who come into contact with my art, whether it’s at an exhibition or through a simple comment or like on Instagram (@gianlucalattuada). I also want to express my gratitude to every person who believes in my art and makes all of this possible – curators, gallery owners, and collectors.

Website: www.gianlucalattuada.art

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gianlucalattuada/