Contemporary artist Patrick Piccinelli talks about his journey in an interview with Anjali Singh for the Asian Curator.
I am interested in the visual dialogue between the notions of structure and randomness.
Contemporary artist Patrick Piccinelli
Artist interview
What brought you to the world of contemporary digital/visual art and how did you start?
When I was 12 years old I discovered modern art: Picasso, Kandisky, Braque, Malevitch, Fernand Léger. In the same period, at school, my visual art teacher introduced us to Paul Klee. While working on several paintings inspired by Klee’s graphic and chromatic structures, I became fascinated by the creative and visual field and realized that I had skills that went beyond learning or knowledge. I understood that these artists of the first half of the 20th century were free! Intuitively, while discovering their works, I felt that all these great painters had ventured into unexplored areas of art. This encounter with modern art and these “code breaker” artists was a great joy for me!
Around age 15-16, I discovered American painters (Pollock, Barnett Newman, Clifford Still, Morris Louis) and was very influenced and impressed by Robert Rauschenberg, Frank Stella, Ad Reinhard, Donald Judd. When I was a student at ECAL (University of Art and Design, Lausanne) I became a “fan” of the Italian Transavantgarde (Enzo Cucchi, Mimmo Paladino) and the German neo-expressionism (Rainer Fetting, Helmut Mittendorf). My visual memory thus keeps at the same time the imprint of minimalism and expres-sionism.
Contemporary artist Patrick Piccinelli on how to be an artist.
Lastly, I remember a vision of a group of pink flamingos in a zoo around the age of 5 and a docu-mentary on Robert Motherwell making a very large format painting of his series “elegy of the spanish re-public” (around the age of 17), two great visual shocks.
Following the documentary on Motherwell I was convinced that the most beautiful job in the world was to be a painter! One of my teachers, Pierre Chevalley, made me discover the use of industrial paints (not meant for artists but rather for construction or industry purpose) and the importance of transparencies as well as the dialogue between matte and gloss. In his course, very free and open, I got introduced with enthusiasm and joy to the practice of painting. I started to set up my own aesthetic codes and to place myself in relation to my contemporaries. Jean Otth, another professor (a pioneer of Swiss and European video art), taught me about the question of the medium and its content. I loved it! At that time, I realized that the question of picture-in-picture fascinated me.
Choice of medium in art
Let’s talk about the evolution of your practice and medium of art over the years.
I am a painter, color fascinates me. For me, the status of painter is a great privilege! From the beginning of my research, at the end of my studies, I considered that a successful painting must be like a joyful feast for the eyes of the viewer. My goal is unusual beauty, aesthetic astonishment. These elements persist through-out the years and are the foundation of my artistic work. However, the search for greater simplicity has evolved, in order to communicate in the most intense way with the fewest possible elements!
People understand and appreciate this intention just by looking at my paintings (without explanations or words). For me, this is extraordinary because it means that they understand me through my visual expres-sion.
What does the creative process mean to you?
The creative process is closely related to the content of my work. By this, I mean that my painting is about the process, my painting is about the practice of painting.
How do you deal with the conceptual difficulty and uncertainty of creating new work?
I soon understood that the preparatory work (sketches, studies) does not really suit me. When I do small studies for a large format, I end up keeping the study as a work in itself. The small format then becomes just a starting point for a large canvas that will ultimately be different from the study. The doubt, the uncertainty linked to a creation is part of the process. I use accidents, corrections at the level of the formal or chromatic composition. These repentances become elements that surprise me, intrigue me and give me a direction to take that will be different from the original intention.
What is your source of creative inspiration?
I am interested in the visual dialogue between the notions of structure and randomness. This particular field of expression is explored by contemporary jazzmen who improvise (the random) within a melody (the chromatic composition) and a rhythm (the geometric structure).
Musicians such as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett Kenny Wheeler, Soft Machine, Paul Bley, Paul Motian, John Abercrombie inspire me a lot by their rigor and freedom. I also find these elements in progressive rock and particularly with the great bands of the 70s, Pink Floyd, Emerson Lake and Palmer, King Crimson, Genesis, Tangerine Dream. Their music make the background sound of my workshop. The peaceful confrontation between a chromatic geometrical space and an informal trace fascinates me. My research takes the direction of a “parasitized” minimalism. I claim the expression of a rigorous structure, endangered by the soft and joyful (but sometimes also melancholic) hazardous trace of the brush, generating nuances and splashes.
Which shows, performances and experiences have shaped your own creative process? Who are your favourite contemporary artist maestros?
The cinema of the “New Wave” in France, especially “Pierrot le fou” by Jean-Luc Godard. The films of Federico Fellini, especially “Roma”. The important artists for me are: Ellsworth Kelly, Pierre Soulages (but only his works from the 50’s to 70’s). The drawings of Joseph Beuys, Tapiès, Max Bill, Helmut Federle, Robert Motherwell, Wade Guyton, Olivier Mosset, John Armleder, …
Mention any art books, writers or blogs of note
Editions Skira : Skira Annuel, years 70 to 80. Magazines : Artforum, Art Press.
Tell us about your art studio, what kind of place is it?
It is a part of our house. I never wanted to be away from my family to create, on the contrary! It is a space filled with music. It’s a minimalist space, ordered and peaceful, north facing and bright.
Describe a professional risk that you took. What helped you take it?
I was interested for many years in figuration (but always in connection with the problem of the dialogue chance / structure). Two years ago, following a retrospective exhibition of my paintings, I completely stopped producing figurative works. I started a whole new cycle, radically abstract. For me, it’s was a big risk, because it led to a break with my main gallery owner and collectors. But the returns on my current work are very encouraging and moreover my work is getting known outside Switzerland.
Is it imperative to have a visual art degree to become a visual artist?
I think it’s fundamental, it’s necessary to integrate an art school. It is not the school that makes the artist, ei-ther you are an artist or you are not. But the school enables reflection, experimentation and above all con-frontation with your peers. For me this training time was a very profitable, happy and exciting period!
Tell us about your first sale.
A Swiss collector bought one of my works that he had discovered in a group exhibition. Later on, he bought many other paintings from me. Afterwards, he came several times to my studio, and followed my work for a few years.
Artist Contact
For enquiries contact Dealer: www.singulart.com/en/artist/patrick-piccinelli-25191