Andrea Luzi: “In my work, there are several elements linked to my background that have been fundamental to my research. One of these is undoubtedly post-muralism and graffiti writing, a practice that requires very limited time, during which you try to achieve the best possible result. “
How and why did you start your artistic career?
Drawing is a great passion of mine. During high school, I discovered another great passion: music. I started playing bass in various bands until my senior year. During that period, I temporarily put drawing aside, but when my last band broke up, I felt the need to return to painting and devote myself to it more consistently. That break from music created a sort of detachment from it and everything that revolved around it, but painting managed to give me that sense of fulfillment that music perhaps had failed to give me.
It must be said that music has always been a fundamental presence in my life, even before I started playing. From a young age, I was fascinated by the graphics on 70s prog and psych rock vinyls and, later, by 90s music ranging from grunge to stoner, crossover to hardcore punk, and even electronic music. I believe that this strong connection with music has had a decisive influence on my art, both from a compositional and iconographic point of view.
How did you discover your medium and why did you choose it?
A decisive moment in my artistic research was the transition from high school, when, in my third year, I moved from the art school in Macerata to the one in Jesi. Here I was fortunate enough to meet Nicola Farina, the teacher who mentored me for a year. I believe he understood my graphic and visual sensibility, giving me complete freedom and space to develop my projects, unlike the teachers in Macerata, who were much more focused on the technical aspect than on expressiveness. Perhaps this was the right approach, but at that time I had a sort of aversion to oil painting, which had become almost taboo for me.
Another fundamental step was my academic experience in Urbino, where I met Gabriele Arruzzo, who mentored me for three years. Until then, I was sure of everything I had achieved, without ever really questioning myself. Gabriele was fundamental in this process: he helped me to “clean up” my ego, leading me to start from scratch, to study and explore in depth, to truly understand what was in tune with my interests and what really mattered to me. His approach was initially very strict and critical, but I think it is essential to understand what has been done before us artistically, to avoid simply copying. The interesting thing is that, after years of research, I naturally returned to my roots, but with a completely new awareness, which allowed me to better understand what I was really passionate about in painting. I believe Gabriele played a decisive role in this, and the same is true for many other contemporary artists who graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Urbino.
Can you tell us about your creative process? How did your work come about? How long does it take you to create a work? When do you know it’s over?
In my work, there are several elements linked to my background that have been fundamental to my research. One of these is undoubtedly post-muralism and graffiti writing, a practice that requires very limited time, during which you try to achieve the best possible result. I think this process helps to clarify ideas, make the work more conscious, and give greater confidence. Another aspect that has had a significant impact on my work has been the practice of engraving techniques, in particular monotype, which I had the opportunity to study in depth during my time at the academy. In my opinion, this technique also shares parallels with graffiti writing, especially in terms of the limited time required to complete a work.
My work has an abstract basis that clashes and dialogues with the fundamental principles of figuration, such as the study of light. Alongside these practices, there is also a more traditional painting component. My creative process develops in two distinct phases that have different timings: one, which is longer, concerns drying times, while the one in which I actually paint is rather quick. For this reason, I try to work on several paintings at the same time, avoiding getting stuck on a single piece and, above all, so as not to get bored.
Who are your favorite artists? Which ones inspire you?
Over the years, various artists have sparked my interest, but my references are constantly changing. My pictorial interests have evolved over time, moving from the study of religious iconography from different eras and cultures to the analysis of the compositional structures of drawings and comics in punk fanzines. I also became fascinated by the solutions adopted by graffiti writers, particularly those of the 1990s, and finally explored my interests in cinema and scenography. Alongside these, there are many other influences that do not always belong to the field of art or painting but have nevertheless enriched my research.
