As a Visual Arts teacher and artist, he is in search of the essential. Sebastiano Sallemi explores the through forms, colors, lights, and sounds. His artistic journey guided him towards embracing analytical painting, navigating through experiments and gradually simplifying his approach.
Tell us about your artistic journey.
Firstly, I started to approach painting during my time at the art institute, and I loved it right away, thanks in part to excellent teachers who introduced me to this expressive form. I continued tirelessly drawing and painting, deepening my knowledge of various materials. At the academy, I began using wood, special boards, paints, and so on. After three years of studying restoration, I specialized in sculpture, and today I am a teacher of Visual Arts. However, my relationship with painting has never ceased. It has been a journey that has gone through different phases. Initially, within the realm of sculpture, I drew inspiration from great artists like Louise Nevelson, known for her use of recycled materials. Then, gradually, I shifted towards painting, particularly analytical painting.
What is it about?
Analytical painting, emerging in Italy in the 1960s, centers on material exploration and leans towards an extreme simplification of forms. This journey led me to incorporate wood, traditionally a sculptural material, into my pictorial context. Through a sequence of experiments, I evolved gradually into my current body of work. The paramount element for me is color, with a tendency towards an extreme simplification of forms, mainly manifested in geometric shapes within my paintings.
Can you describe your creative process for us?
My creative process begins with observation, particularly observing nature, coupled with visual memories from years spent traveling around Italy. To these memories, these landscapes, I associate the colors of my homeland (I was born in Sicily). At a certain point, I started to connect colors, shapes, and sounds, creating a series of works titled ‘White Noises,’ referring to sounds that induce relaxation. In these pieces, I thought to use color for the same purpose. I enjoy the idea that my paintings provide viewers with a sense of peace.
Are you working on any particular projects at the moment?
Yes, today I am working on surfaces painted with very delicate colors, reminiscent of cracked, ancient walls. I particularly like this project because it allows me to weave a narrative around light and sound, adding the dimension of time. The concept of creating surfaces that evoke a sense of age, I fundamentally associate with everything created by and passed down by humanity.
How is your experience with Cinquerosso Arte?
I discovered the website through social media, and I must say I was particularly impressed by the possibility of reproducing paintings through high-quality printing. I find it to be a fascinating idea because, among other things, it allows emerging artists to work and make themselves known. Additionally, the staff at Cinquerosso Arte is truly very serious and professional.
