“What struck me consciously or unconsciously sediments inside me. Then some things can come out even after years”
AT: Where are you from and how/why you start engaging to art?
LG: I grew up in a village in Maremma, a place that still today, despite living in Rome, have remained in my memory. I was always encouraged to express myself through art where I was born and also thanks to my mother I approached the painting due to the fact that she is a painter.
AT: When did it become serious?
LG: When I realized to do what I am.
AT: Are there any person that have been significant in your progression as an artist?
LG: Absolutely yes. I’m very lucky, I always had and I have around me many people who believed and supported my work.
AT: What’s your first approach to the work? Where does your process start?
LG: The initial approach is more physical, then leads in a more mental and silent waiting where the endless possibilities and impossibilities that happen during the “do” create the picture.
C’è una volta, exhibition view at Richter Fine Art gallery, Rome (2017)
AT: What are your favourite tools and materials for working?
LG: I prefer the mixed media, where different compositions of materials together alter their own property. Last year for instance I started working with clay.
AT: Do you leave your work open to interpretation? Or do you think the viewer should engage with your work in a specific way?
LG: I like to imagine the work as an open work. At the same time I hope that who wants to get in, appreciate the pause of observation that painting is expected.
AT: How do you feel while you are working? You think of the final result?
LG: I search for the distance once I get into the process. I have a general idea but not definitive so the result happens slowly, after a few months.
AT: How do you understand when a work is finished?
LG: When a plus or minus sign is not necessary.
A suo agio, 2016, mixed media on paper, 183 x 140 cm, courtesy Galleria La Linea
Landscape hint, 2016, mixed media on canvas, 190 x 150 cm
AT: Where does the inspiration for the work come from? Do you find inspiration outside or it’s all inside you?
LG: What struck me consciously or unconsciously sediments inside me. Then some things can come out even after years.
AT: Do you think art can be learned or it is something innate?
LG: I don’t think there’s a rule, we are predisposed to accept it or not. It’s essential to be able to see what you find
AT: There are any artists that influenced your works? Why?
LG: I estimate many artists, but the imagination of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting since the early studies is still the strongest.
AT: How important is for you the role of social media?
LG: It’s a medium which I use most as an archive, but I guess that exploited well can give good results. It still it does not fit much in my ropes but I think it is very important and necessary today.
Carnagione di una pianta, 2015, mixed media on paper, 40 x 30 cm, courtesy Galleria La Linea
Rapporto in rose, 2017, mixed media on board, 40 x 30 cm
AT: What’s your opinion about the contemporary art system nowadays from your point of view as an artist?
LG: There is a great speed that doesn’t have much to do with the “time” of creation, so isn’t easy to sustain. It has its charms but it also causes confusion.
AT: What do you find to be the most challenging or daunting thing about pursuing art? What is the most rewarding part of working as an artist?
LG: Clearly we do beautiful work, but not always easy to sustain both economically and mentally. It takes a strong character to overcome some personal and social barriers, so as to make their work known. Beyond that, the moments in which things are born are precious.
AT: What do you do outside of painting?
LG: A lot of things; I love cooking, watching movies, reading (not as much as I’d like), dream projects with people close to me and walking in the countryside (not as much as I’d like)
AT: What are your goals and expectations for the future?
LG: That’s an interesting question. The ideas are many, even start to participate in the application, something that I have always neglected and is intriguing. At this time I will work on a series of large paintings already began in 2016 with which I would like to do a show, I would be happy to see them all together, finding a suitable place during these years is something I want to deal with. I will also carry forward the various nuances of my research, where the ceramic and drawing increasingly are taking my attention, it will be interesting to see where it will take me.
Apparire, exhibition view at Richter Fine Art Gallery, Rome (2019)
Personal Exhibitions 2017 - C'E' UNA VOLTA, texte by Francesco Angelucci and Isabella Vitale, Galleria Richter Fine Art, Roma 2016 - IN-FINITO, edited Davide Sarchioni, Galleria La Linea, Montalcino, (Si) - UN SASSO SUL MARE #2, edited by Isabella Vitale, Sala Santa Rita, Roma, italy 2015 - UN SASSO SUL MARE, edited by Claudia Gennari e Marta Paolini, Church of Bigi, Grosseto, italy 2013 - SINKHOLE, Artothèque de Rome, edited by Isabella Vitale, Rome, italy 2010 - PRIMITIVI URBANI | Cedav, edited by Lapo Simeoni, text of L.R. di Pontremoli, Gr, italy - RITRATTI TRATTI, edited by Andrea Romoli Barberini, Di vin Arte, Mentana, (Rm), italy Group exhibitions 2018 -“TECNICA MISTA SU CARTA, edited by Davide Sarchioni, Il Frantoio, Capalbio -BIENNALE VITERBO, edited byi Piero Gagliardi, Palazzo dei Papi, Viterbo -BEYOND THE BOOK, LM Gallery Arte Contemporanea, Latina ( Rm ) -IT WAS NOT ME, IT WAS NOT ME, Luca Grechi – Marco Emmanuele, Wonder- Liebert, Bagnolet ( Parigi) -GIOVANE PAESAGGIO, Luca Grechi – Alessandro Dandini de Sylva, edited by Isabella Vitale, Galleria La Nube di Oort, Roma 2017 -UNDISCLOSED STORIES, edited by Davide Sarchioni and Maria Concetta Monaci, Palazzo Collacchioni, Capalbio -FOREVER NEVER COMES, edited by Lapo SImeoni, Museo Archeologico e d’Arte della Maremma, Grosseto -NATURA BIANCA, edited by Daniela Perego, Interno 14, Roma -MOMA HOSTEL, Museo abitabile, edited by Franco Lo Svizzero, Roma
2016 - PREMIO LISSONE, edited by Alberto Zanchetta, MAC, Lissone, Italy -IMPOSSIBILE, edited by Saverio Todaro, Nicus Lucà, Silvano Costanzo, Spaziobianco, Torino -NON AMO CHE LE ROSE CHE NON COLSI, edited by Saverio Verini, Galleria Richter FIne Art, Rome -ASYNDETON, Sei Pittori a Roma, edited by Franz Paludetto, text of Giulia Lopalco, Castello di Rivara, Torino -L’UOMO, Il SUONO, LA NATURA, edited by Davide Sarchioni, environmental painting, Terravecchia, Campania -I MATERIALI DELLA PITTURA, edited by Davide Sarchioni, Il Frantoio, Capalbio 2015 -ICONOLOGIA ONIRICA, Luca Grechi – Antonio Barbieri – Elisa Bertaglia, a cura di Isabella Vitale, Galleria La Linea, Montalcino 2014 - THE GRASS GROWS, edited by Art Lab Gallery, Basel, Switzerland -ANTEKUM, Luca Grechi - Marco Affaitati , Museum of Modern Art and Contemporary Art School and painting techniques, Anticoli Corrado, edited by Maurizio e Francesco Borghi, Anticoli Corrado (Rm), italy - GINKGO - a project of artistic resilience, edited by Valentina Fiore, Rome, italy - PETIT BIJOUX, Babylon Gallery, edited by A. Romoli Barberini, Rome, Italy 2013 - CENSURED, Visiva, City of the image, with the contribution of curatorial Giorgio de Finis, Ilaria Caravaglio e Chris Fuzzy, organization: Auronda Scalera, Marta Cipriani, Andrea Bezziccheri, Roma - INSIDE OUT, Luca Grechi - Daniele Cestari, Cassero Senese, edited by Arci e Comune di Grosseto, texts I. Vitale e M. Scuffiotti, Grosseto, italy2012 - UN'IDEA DI BELLEZZA, Festambiente, edited by Mauro Papa, Rispescia, Gr, italy - ADD AND REMOVE, Luca Grechi – Lapo Simeoni, Galleria Art.Lab Arte Contemporanea, text Isabella Vitale, Grosseto, italy 2012 - SPAM!, Pastificio Cerere, edited by Sguardo Contemporaneo, Rome, italy - WALLS SURFACES AND SORYTELLERS, Galleria Art.Lab Arte Contemporanea, edited by Lapo Simeoni, (Gr), italy - L'ACQUA, Premio Basi, edited by Silvia Petronici, Cassero Senese ( Gr ), italy - APPUNTI E CONTRAPPUNTI VISUALI, PDAC, Palazzo Ducale Arte Contemporanea, edited by Andrea Romoli Barberini, Maierà, (Cz), italy 2011 - ZONE SCOPERTE III-Omaggio all’Italia/bis, Museum Venanzo Crocetti, edited by Andrea Romoli Barberini, Rome, italy - ETRUSCHI CONTEMPORANEI, Ex School L.Radice, , edited by L. Simeoni, Texts di M. Papa, Porto Ercole (Gr), italy - AlLTERAZIONI, edited by ARTQ. Castle Aldobrandesco, Arcidosso (Gr), italy 2010 - “Il CANTIERE DELLE CULTURE, ex Covent of the Agostiniani, Melpignano (Le). italy - PRIMAVERILE ROMANA, “I maestri e le margherite”, , Museum Venanzo Crocetti, edited by Carmine Siniscalco, Rome, italy - DIVINA PROPORZIONE, ideation of Enzo Orti, Museum Diocesano e Capitolare, Terni, Italy 2009-2008 - DIA-LOGOS, ideation of Enzo Orti. Italy 2007-2008 - THEATRE DE VERRE, collaboration performance of Luis Pasina the white night, Parigi
Contact: Via di Pietralata, 159, Roma lucagrechi85@gmail.com
