Interview
Rafael Leonardo Carlesso
Rafael Carlesso is an Italian-Brazilian architect and artist working in Curitiba, Brazil.
Through different forms of expression, such as visual arts, graphic design, photography, architecture and fashion, his work aims to represent the aesthetics and culture of our time.
This is developed through the use of drawing techniques that establish the link between the fluid lines of life, and the diversity of colors that symbolize the plurality of our souls.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“My interest for visual arts emerged in my childhood. I remember reading a small atlas and then trying to draw what I imagined life was like in different parts of the world. I drew people, streets, buildings and cities, and thus began my interest in architecture as a form of creative expression.
However, while I was in architecture school at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná, I formed connections with local and national artists. Through this, I started painting abstract works of art with different themes. I did this until I found an aesthetic language that felt better suited to what I wanted to represent through art. An aesthetic language that would also allow me to evolve the technique and the form of expression in a continuum; in a sequential and uninterrupted way.
As time went by, my work with art surpassed my activities in architecture. Eventually, I took my works to individual and collective exhibitions in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Italy, Portugal, and Sweden.”
What inspires you most?
“I was raised in a community of European origin, influenced by the Italian and German values of my parents and grandparents. But at the same time, I lived in Brazil. So, I observed my own country as a tourist. I saw what was happening around me from many intrinsically European cultural characteristics, and tried to understand everything with more rationality and, consequently, with less emotion.
But in Brazil, cultural expressions are deeply charged with sensations and emotions. When I went to live in Rio de Janeiro, I could feel this cultural explosion inside me. I can say that this was the turning point in all aspects of my life. At that moment, I understood what it was to be Brazilian; how it was to live full of hope, feeling vivid and intense emotions with flowing colors and shapes. Before that, I believed that cosmopolitan life was in big world centers like New York and London. But in fact, the Brazilian soul has been cosmopolitan since the beginning of its existence in this continental country inhabited by people from all cultures - and it was in Rio de Janeiro that all of them met at some point in history.
That is why my greatest inspiration comes from the popular expression, dialogue, and fusion between the cultures that create and recreate the Brazilian soul. In addition, the richness of nature in our country and our forest guardians are a fundamental part of the Brazilian essence. The manifestation of the culture of indigenous people is beautiful, and the elements of nature that influence these works are a great source of inspiration for all of us.”
“I am a tourist in my own land, but one who lives every aspect of it intensely, in a kind of fusion of European and Brazilian culture. This is what inspires me to create every day.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“‘Aesthetics are very important to me, and this is noticeable in all my artworks. From this creative base, I try to represent elements that build the Brazilian cultural imaginary, from the most primitive of representations. These include indigenous art, popular cultural expressions, such as carnival and street art, to the most sophisticated forms of expression of the Brazilian creative scene, such as architecture and fine arts.”
How would you describe your work?
“My work is the self-expression of my life. It’s the fusion of the rational and perfectionist European characteristics, with the spontaneity and organicity of the Brazilian lifestyle. This paradox leads me to work very rigorously in the creation and composition of the works, with a technical analysis of all the elements that will compose the work. I’m assisted in this by the influence of the theories and forms of creation, which come from my academic background in architecture.
On the other hand, there is a more spontaneous and intuitive side to the creation that allows me to create an atmosphere of deep informality. It is at this moment that I can materialize the Brazilian culture as a whole.”
What artists influence you most?
“I describe myself as a ‘patchwork quilt’, because the characteristics of the artists are what really influence me. For example, I really like the harmony in the lines and shapes of the works by the modernist Roberto Burle Marx. I am also fascinated by the geometry of Piet Mondrian, another artist from the modern period. But I also have more contemporary influences, such as the striking and spontaneous lines of Keith Haring, the aggressive creativity of Jean-Michel Basquiat, and the current artistic production of Damien Hirst, who harmonizes colours very skillfully.
I also have direct influence from the fashion universe, including the Brazilian one, in which there is a lot of quality and creativity. Music is also a very strong expressive energy, as well as literature. There are many other forms of expression that also influence me, and that can be in the streets or in the most unusual places.”
“The representation of cultural characteristics does not always necessarily need to convey a message about the appreciation of Brazilian culture.
In many of my works, my specific interest is to represent only a form, a composition, and a mixture of colors that simply evoke some feeling or sensation for those observing the work of art.”
What is your creative process like?
"My creative process gets mixed up with my everyday life because it happens when I observe something interesting, or read about some subject which triggers in me a fusion of ideas. In my mind, I begin to create an image or series of fragments that can be put together into a work of art. This process is long and time-consuming, as I need to gather all this information before the first line or the first stroke.
There are many attempts and, consequently, many mistakes. It is a path full of challenges, and yet it is very exciting because it is endless. In this way, I always have more baggage to use in the works, and even more chances to create something with a good aesthetic quality.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“The artist has never been as involved in society as he is today. The model of collaboration with other professionals, companies and agencies has allowed this expansion of the artist as a social agent. Today, art is no longer restricted to galleries and museums. We can find art everywhere. On the sides of buildings, on walls and bridges, in the products we consume, in fashion, in architectural projects, in works by social organizations, and in so many other places.
Also, technology is getting closer and closer to art, and the market for NFTs (non-fungible tokens), the metaverse and other forms of virtual communication are growing technological projects that can bring many benefits to artists, and those who love and collect art. But we must wait and see how these new forms of connection will play out in the coming months and years.”
Website: www.rafaelcarlesso.com
Instagram: @rafaelcarlesso
