The individual works represent a re-invention by Casu [2] of a known technique: painting on printed photographs. By overlaying a contrasting artistic form on existing photographs, Casu interweaves an ongoing dialog between two artistic souls with every brushstroke.
He first uses traditional fine-art oil grade and acrylic paint; then he adds invisible flourishes with fluorescent paint, visible only by direct exposure to UV light. The effect is to surface a thought-provoking “third perspective” over the initial piece.
All photographs were taken in New York City and depict moments of its frenetic yet poetic life. The interaction between the human and the urban, between individuals and the architecture are the surface-themes depicted by the photographs.
Candid in nature, Palazzo's photos are a visual narrative; a photographic poem drawing viewers in, composed of colorful streams of interactions between disparate urban elements.
The candid nature is, however, deceptive.
Through Casu's artistic intervention, the hard realism of the photos are cracked open by the strokes of the brush, each one causing small yet seismic shifts in meaning and understanding.
The final effect is to trigger a wave of imagination, completing an artistic continuum spanning from photographer to painter to viewer.
Ultimately, the viewer can’t help but shine light on new truths, discovering a fantastical, psychological overlay seeping into the photo’s stoic realism that was, at first, unseen.
Opening Reception Friday May 6th, from 6.30pm to 9.30pm
136 Bowery, New York City
About the Artist:
A native of Sardinia, Italy, Giorgio Casu, or Jorghe as he signs his works, is a contemporary artist, based in New York City and creating art all around the world. After working in a psychiatric center and with children as a professional educator, art teacher, and therapist, and after founding a comic association “Chine Vaganti” in Italy, he began focusing on his art career in 2002. He embarked on a 5-year long journey, throughout the UK, Australia, South-East Asia and the USA from which he drew inspiration for most of his early works.
Giorgio’s acrylic paintings, for which he is best known, have been shown in major event and galleries around the world, including the White House, where he presented his portrait of the president Obama in 2010.
- See more at >>> [3]
A native of Sardinia, Italy, Giorgio Casu, or Jorghe as he signs his works, is a contemporary artist, based in New York City and creating art all around the world. After working in a psychiatric center and with children as a professional educator, art teacher, and therapist, and after founding a comic association “Chine Vaganti” in Italy, he began focusing on his art career in 2002. He embarked on a 5-year long journey, throughout the UK, Australia, South-East Asia and the USA from which he drew inspiration for most of his early works.
Giorgio’s acrylic paintings, for which he is best known, have been shown in major event and galleries around the world, including the White House, where he presented his portrait of the president Obama in 2010.
- See more at: http://giorgiocasu.com/about#sthash.oO4WItZ7.dpuf
Source URL: http://ftp.iitaly.org/magazine/events/reports/article/unseen-giorgio-casu-and-michele-palazzo
Links
[1] http://ftp.iitaly.org/files/giorgiocasuunseen1462379438png
[2] http://giorgiocasu.com/
[3] http://giorgiocasu.com/about