Francesco Zurlini, never stops the creative engine. A renowned artist with a passion for abstraction, contributes his knowledge, experience, and positivity to Cinquerosso Arte.
Francesco, tell us your story.
I have been painting for many years, so compared to the young artists at Cinquerosso Arte, I feel a bit like a grandfather. Coming from a family of artists, with my father being a film director and art enthusiast, I was introduced to contemporary art from a young age. I was fortunate to connect with the great Italian abstractionists of the ’60s and ’70s, especially Afro Basaldella, who inspired my love for abstract painting.
At some point, I felt the need to challenge myself and express my own vision and aesthetic. I bought the necessary materials and started painting. That’s how my journey began, leading to a career spanning over 35 years.
A decisive and courageous step.
I always maintain that inside each of us there is an artist. Some have a particular predisposition, but if you never challenge yourself, you’ll never know the extent to which your thoughts, desires, and aspirations can evolve. I never had a mentor or attended art schools; I studied what interested me.
I engaged with my reference artists, delving into their work, observing, and analyzing. I stumbled forward through trial and error, making mistakes, refining techniques, and experimenting with mixing them. Over time, craftsmanship emerged. Because even artists need experience to understand all that is available, especially concerning materials, which vary greatly. Like any profession, the more you work, the sharper your skills and practice become.
What sets an artist apart from someone in another profession?
I believe it’s a mental predisposition. I am an abstract artist, so when I have an idea, I can see something developing in my mind that I need to work on. Even when there’s no specific idea, you still have to keep working because it’s through work that you keep your skills sharp, your creative engine running.
When you stop the creative engine (working less, taking a break, experiencing a setback in life…), your productivity halts. Your mind and creativity also stagnate.
Can you tell us about a moment in your career that is particularly dear to you?
I held my first solo exhibition in Bologna during an edition of Arte Fiera, in a wonderful space on Via Marsala. At one point, a gentleman entered who was captivated by my paintings and wanted to meet me. He turned out to be Giuliano Serafini, an important art critic, and he said something that struck me: ‘This has been the most beautiful exhibition I’ve visited at this edition of Arte Fiera.’ He even wanted to curate the catalogue for a subsequent exhibition of mine organized by the Municipality of Siena, at the Santa Maria della Scala museum complex.
Why are the artworks for sale with Cinquerosso Arte called “Studi”?
They are named “Studi” because they are actual studies. They form a small series on paper with a specific purpose in my painting process—to explore ideas, experiment with color combinations, and refine concepts. While they begin as sketches, they evolve into finished artworks.
This process is vital as it helps me gather ideas for larger canvases, such as three meters by three meters, despite taking considerable time to complete each piece.
What do you think about Cinquerosso Arte?
In addition to the fact that I have a long-standing friendship with Francesca (we’ve known each other for thirty years!), I accepted with great joy also because I had never before made prints of my artworks, and I was pleasantly surprised: I did not expect such a refined chromatic and textural rendition. Just think that I can use white in ten different ways, I can make a single brushstroke, or five, or twenty. Fine art printing manages to faithfully reproduce these thickness effects in a surprisingly accurate manner compared to the original.
