“I’ve been teaching drawing for over 10 years at fine arts academy and I can tell you for sure that anyone can learn how to practice art, even at a professional level. But what I can’t tell you is what makes a person an artist”
AT: Where are you from and how/why you start engaging to art?
MB: I’m from Milan and I started drawing under my father, in his architectural firm. I can remember one afternoon of many years ago…My father asked me to ink a project on tracing paper. I worked hard with passion for more than two hours and then I noticed that the sheet was full of stains and finger prints. I realized in that precise moment that I was a painter.
AT: When did it become serious?
MB: From the very first time. Indeed, I agree with Arshile Gorky’s quote: “Art must always remain earnest … Art must be serious, no sarcasm, comedy. One does not laugh at a loved one”.
AT: Are there any person that have been significant in your progression as an artist?
MB: There are many people that I should mention and thank: Massimo Colciago, David Decarolis, Emanuele Mocarelli, Ian Tweedy, Marco Scotini, Vincenzo Castella and many other friends, colleagues and even students who inspire me every day. In particular, a special thank goes to Claudio Olivieri, who taught me how to approach a painting by laying down weapons of reason.
AT: What’s your first approach to the work? Where does your process start?
MB: I work a lot on drawing from a life, but I do not any preparatory studies. I let the drawing process flows into the direction in which it is attracted. Sometimes it becomes painting, sometimes sculpture, sometimes it remains drawing or it mixes with other mediums up to some unexpected event that makes the work finished.
FOUR HEADS + SARAHCONOWAY / 2015 / triptych, oil on canvas and wood (95 x 135 cm).
AT: What are your favourite tools and materials for working?
MB: I use many materials, but Oil Painting is like Barolo: The King.
AT: Do you leave your work open to interpretation? Or do you think the viewer should engage with your work in a specific way?
MB: I’m totally convinced that a part of my work should escape my control, for this reason I’m afraid to talk about meaning. I try to let every single art piece free to work, precisely because I am sure that art, but painting in particular, is able to live in the interspaces of our subjective and collective consciousness; between the spaces left empty by the functional anxiety of the contemporary man.
AT: How do you feel while you are working? You think of the final result? How do you understand when a work is finished?
MB: It’s difficult to express it in one sentence due to the fact that the steps of my work are so many and different and they never repeat themselves. Instead I give you a suggestion from the boxe’s world (which is a sport that I practice and that shares some important features with my art): I’m always looking for a fight and during a fight you must be ready to lose something. While I’m working I try to be into the flow, a state of experience which allows you to perform as best you can.
AT: Where does the inspiration for the work come from? Do you find inspiration outside or it’s all inside you?
MB: I don’t have a recipe for doing a work or a project, but I know how my creative process works so I always try to push myself to activate it. In my last solo show, ‘Kangal’, I presented a series of Shepherd Dogs paintings. I’ve been to see them and know them in breeding farms and dog shows before painting them.
PASTORE DEL CAUCASO / 2017 / pigment and oil on canvas (100 x 70 cm).
SL · PFL / / 2017 / polyptych, n. 9 oil on canvas (20 x 30 cm) + framed paper, glass, tape.
AT: Do you think art can be learned or it is something innate?
MB: I’ve been teaching drawing for over 10 years at fine arts academy and I can tell you for sure that anyone can learn how to practice art, even at a professional level. But what I can’t tell you is what makes a person an artist. The difference between a common and an artistic thought. Personally I always been interested on artists who where able to keep a misaligned attitude respect to the context or the system; and this is probably an innate condition. I sincerely hope that no one can ever find a definition for the art process.
AT: There are any artists that influenced your works? Why?
MB: Some Friends: Ian Tweedy, Pesce Khete, Angelo Sarleti, Dario Pecoraro. Some colleagues: Neo Rauch, Victor Man, Avery Singer, Lenz Geerk. Some Old Master: Gorky, Kitaj, Novelli, Meloni, just to name a few. Their works are so different; I love them but I envy them at the same time, because they have some features that I really wish to have in my work. Something that I would like to steal. I really admire, for example, the way in which Andrea Carpita prepare his canvas, because is the exactly opposite of my way. So manic, so caring.
AT: How important is for you the role of social media?
MB: Social media are really important to know artists, projects and researches and it’s incredible how they are improving art system and art business. Moving images also means moving imaginaries and this is so powerful today. But I always want to remember that you can watch boxing on TV, but only on the ringside you can hear the sound of punches and smell sweat.
AT: What’s your opinion about the contemporary art system nowadays from your point of view as an artist?
MB: I’m sorry…I haven’t a relevant opinion about that.
BLU TILE / 2016 / oil on canvas (190 x 210 cm) + n°2 framed paper, glass, tape, (private collection).
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?
MB: Hang a painting on the wall and show it to someone. Hang a painting on the wall and show it to someone.
AT: What do you do outside of painting?
MB: Boxing. Playing with my son and sometimes Boxing with my son.
AT: What are your goals and expectations for the future?
MB: I’d like to publish my boxing and drawing book soon.
Marco Bongiorni Born in 1981 in Milan, Italy where he lives and works EDUCATION 2001 - 2003 - Pittura e Arti Visive . Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, Milano . Italia 2003 - 2004 - Diplomato “magna cum laude” in Pittura e Arti Visive . N.A.B.A. (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti) . Milano . Italia 2005 - 2006 - Diplomato in Master di Color Design . O.C.L. (Osservatorio Color Liguria) . Genova . Italia - Docente di Disegno, Triennio di Arti Visive e Desing . N.A.B.A. (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti) . Milano . Italia -EPITOME/HEAD/FEAR . Fondazione RivoliDue . Milano -UNIDENTIFIED DRAWN OBJECT . a cura di Samuele Menin Galleria Brera . Corbetta -ATTEMPTS FOR A UTOPIAN FIXITY . Galleria Six . Milano -DRAWING BY TWO . a cura di Ludovico Pratesi Galleria Marie Laure Fleisch . Roma -LA RIPETIZIONE, QUALORA SIA POSSIBILE, RENDE FELICI a cura di Andrea Bruciati . The Gallery Apart . Roma -DRAWING . Galleria Artra . Milano -CAVE CANEM . a cura di Pierlugi Casolari, Martina Cavallarin, Claudio Olivieri Spazio Synphonia & Galleria L’affiche . Milano TEACHING ROLES 2010 - 105 - Docente di Disegno, Triennio di Arti Visive e Design . N.A.B.A. (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti) . Milano . Italia SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITION 2014 -EPITOME/HEAD/FEAR . Fondazione RivoliDue . Milano -UNIDENTIFIED DRAWN OBJECT . a cura di Samuele Menin Galleria Brera . Corbetta 2012/13 -ATTEMPTS FOR A UTOPIAN FIXITY . Galleria Six . Milano 2011 -DRAWING BY TWO . a cura di Ludovico Pratesi Galleria Marie Laure Fleisch . Roma -LA RIPETIZIONE, QUALORA SIA POSSIBILE, RENDE FELICI a cura di Andrea Bruciati . The Gallery Apart . Roma 2008 -DRAWING . Galleria Artra . Milano 2005 -CAVE CANEM . a cura di Pierlugi Casolari, Martina Cavallarin, Claudio Olivieri Spazio Synphonia & Galleria L’affiche . Milano
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITION - HANG IT ON THE WALL ! a cura di Pietro Di Lecce . The Workbench Milano - CLUSTERA cura di Regaida Comensoli e Sébastien Peter Sonnestube . Lugano OPENING . Galleria Six di Sebastiano Dell’Arte . Milano -LE DECLINAZIONI DELLA PITTURA a cura di Arianna Rosica. Francesco Pantaleone Arte Contemporanea . Palermo -PROGETTO ITALIANO n°3/AZIMUTH -LIBERA DIMENSIONE a cura di Pietro Di Lecce . The Zorkbench . Milano -REGISTRO - a cura di Arianna Rosica . spazio privato . Milano -L’ATELIER DEL PITTORE , a cura di Pietro Di Lecce . The Workbench Milano -MIRAGGI? . a cura di Samuele Menin . Palazzo Cittadini Stampa Galleria Brearuno . Abiategrasso -CASTEL DI IERI, L’ARTISTA NEL SISTEMA E IL SUO TEMPO Castel di Ieri . L’Aquila -CHINESE WISHPERS . a cura di Andrea Baccin, Luca Francesconi, Ilaria Gianni, Ilaria Marotta, Costanza Paissan Cura Basement . Roma -DRAWING QUOTE! . a cura di Davide Stocchi e Nick Oberthaler Pigna Project Space . Roma -WALLPAPERISM . a cura di Nick Oberthaler . Motelcampo . Ginevra -DIFETTO COME INDIZIO DEL DESIDERIO . a cura di Andrea Bruciati NeonCampobase . Bologna -IL RAMO D’ORO . a cura di Andrea Bruciati, Eva Cumuzzi Teatro Nuovo Giovanni da Udine . Udine -LOOKS GOOD ON PAPER . AnfiteatroArte . Milano -THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME . a cura di Anna Caterina Bleuler, Francesca Chiacchio, Sara Errico .http: ognilunediottobre.blogspot.com . Milano -WIRELESS . Bonellilab . Canneto Sull’ Oglio . Mantova -FOR EXEMPLE, ESEMPI DI PITTURA NELL’ARTE CONTEMPORANEA Bonellilab . Canneto Sull’Oglio . Mantova 2015 -WE CAN BE HEROES, JUST FORO ONE DAY . a cura di Andrea Bruciati Galleria 1000eventi . Milano -X PREMIO CAIRO . a cura di Marco Perini . Palazzo della Permanente . Milano -I PREMIO GIOVANI, SEGNARE/DISEGNARE . Accademia Nazionale di San Luca, Palazzo Carpegna . Roma -APPETITE FOR DISTRUCTION . a cura di Alessandro Romanini, Museo Nazionale di Villa Guinigi . Lucca -L’IMMAGINE SOTTILE . a cura di Andrea Bruciati, Gc.Ac. Galleria Comunale d’Arte Contemporanea . Monfalcone -XXIV Premio Oscar Signorini . a cura di Stefano Fugazza, I premio . Studio D’ars . Milano -SELFPORTRAITS STREET . a cura di Chiara Canali, Ex Dazio di Porta Venezia . Milano -WHO USE THE SPACE? . a cura di Marco Scotini, Isola Art Center . La Stecca . Milano Contacts: mobile / +39 333 6702442 email / bongiornimarco@gmail.com skype / marcobongiorni instagram / marcobongiorni
