Born in Brescia, Italy, in 1970, I have been dedicated to the art world since the 1990s. My artistic practice explores the intersection of painting, sculpture, photography, digital graphics, and AI-generated art. My creative process begins with the digital conception of each work, an approach that allows me to visualize the finished piece within its ideal context before translating it into physical form. Inspiration springs from a variety of personal sources: childhood memories, typographic anomalies, astronomical observations, sociological reflections, dreams, and visual distortions. A fundamental aspect of my practice is the creation of pigments derived directly from minerals, crystals, stones, and rocks, which I pulverize using a press of my own design. I select these materials not only for their intrinsic aesthetic qualities but also for their natural chromatic transformations. In my artistic trajectory, I frequently employ tools, technologies, and graphic strategies that extend beyond traditional artistic conventions. Only a selection of the chemical and graphic stratagems I utilize are mentioned on my website, as the principal secret to my results lies precisely in their unique combination.

We are Claudio and Erica. Our shared story began in the 1970s, when we were childhood playmates in the same neighborhood and schools. Though life led us along separate paths for a time, we reconnected as adults, rediscovering a profound and enduring bond. A deep empathy wove together our diverse experiences, uniting us in a harmonious artistic partnership. Here, we present the fruits of our creative journey, showcasing both individual and collaborative works shaped by our shared vision. This evolving space is regularly updated to reflect the organic progression of our artistic process. We invite you to explore these pages with an awareness of the site’s intentionally unconventional structure. This deliberate choice embodies our commitment to an authentic artistic expression. The irregular geometries, non traditional layout, distinctive graphics, and absence of a rigid hierarchy place the artwork itself at the forefront, beyond conventional web design constraints. Each element contributes to a fluid, cohesive visual experience. This site is intended for those who appreciate a contemplative approach, for those willing to engage deeply with our work, to read, observe, and reflect.

Born in Turin, Italy, in 1971, my creative journey is shaped by a multifaceted imagination, driven by curiosity and introspection. Largely self-taught across disciplines, I have long explored alternative realms, dissolving the boundaries between reality and fantasy. My artistic process is an inquiry into the intricate interplay of sensations, emotions, and objects. In painting, I integrate meticulously handcrafted paper rolls in relief, constructing dynamic, geometric compositions enriched by subtle chromatic gradations. At the same time, my engagement with photography and filmed performance allows me to examine the fluid nature of identity. Each performance becomes a dialogue between audacity and irony, always anchored in a purely artistic vision. Through distinctive costumes, wigs, and meticulously designed sets and accessories, I craft images that embrace self-irony and artistic transformation. Every portrait captures not only a momentary self but also an evolving aspiration, an exploration of identity’s many internal and external dimensions. For me, creation is never a conclusion but a continual passage toward new and uncharted artistic landscapes.

Gli immancabili d'Ora in Indietro, che nel passato hanno presagito l’apocalisse causata dai pericoli informatici con l’avvento di Internet, sono passati a un nuovo allarme: il collasso cognitivo, sociale, morale causato dalle intelligenze artificiali. Ecco insomma servita l'ennesima fine dell’umanità. E se non proprio la fine dell'umanità, diciamo, del modo di pensare autonomamente degli esseri umani. Il meccanismo è il solito: paura del nuovo mascherata da lungimiranza, tutela di un'etica, allergia sistematica alla complessità e altre tre o quattro cose. Ogni era, ogni rivoluzione, cambia il bersaglio, ma la matrice retorica è simile. I d'Ora in Indietro lo hanno previsto per l’ennesima volta: il genere umano si sta autodistruggendo ed è alla fine. Ebbene sì, ci siamo, ci risiamo. I terrestri non avranno scampo. E infatti, loro, i d'Ora in Indietro, si sentono già spacciati. Ecco perché stanno fermi. Stanno fermi perché sono spacciati. Mentre aspettano di assicurarsi di essere spacciati davvero, però, si annoiano. E così, per non annoiarsi, si distraggono con utilizzo compulsivo di IA e algoritmi per navigare sui social e per poter utilizzare smartphone e computer e dispositivi tecnologici di ogni genere. Mentre si è spacciati, si deve pur fare qualcosa. Però giurano che non lo fanno perché servirsi delle IA li appaga e gli rende facile e veloce e corretto un lavoro o una ricerca Web o per affrontare al meglio operazioni indispensabili. Lo fanno, oltre che per distrarsi dall'essere spacciati, per tentare l'ultima volta di salvare il genere umano. Per tenere d’occhio la fine degli umani di poter pensare in modo autonomo, causata proprio dalle IA e dagli algoritmi che utilizzano ogni giorno. In effetti, non c’è nulla di meglio, affermano i d’Ora in Indietro, che poter guardare il nemico in faccia, mentre si avvicina. Vogliono averlo tra le mani il malefico algoritmo. Per tenerlo fermo.

Mi sono adornata, per una performance, con un abito di mia creazione, composto da una griglia flessibile di rotolini di carta, di vari colori, ciascuno arrotolato a mano e poi unito agli altri attraverso piccoli anelli metallici. Non ha cuciture, ma connessioni; non impone vincoli, ma domanda cura. L’integrità dell’intera struttura gioca su un equilibrio che richiede attenzione alla tensione. Eppure proprio per questo obbliga a una nuova forma di gestione, fatta non di controllo ma di sensibilità. Ogni movimento implica un dialogo tra corpo e struttura. Indossare quest’abito significa abitare un tempo preciso fatto di gesti, di una manutenzione silenziosa che coincide con la performance stessa. La tensione cartacea e metallica dell’opera si fa resistenza anche poetica. Il gestire il movimento diventa parte del linguaggio, una coreografia indossata che converte la materia in forma. L’abito non si limita a rivestire, ma reclama responsabilità. Se la mia mente ha mediato l’idea, oggi è il corpo a sostenerla, diventandone supporto e architettura viva. Il progetto si è espanso con l'aggiunta di gioielli cartacei, nati dallo stesso principio di connessione e flessibilità, che completano la visione scenica: non ornamenti, ma vere estensioni narrative. L’ibridazione tra corpo, arte, gioco, scultura e atto performativo, prende così forma in una scenografia indossata. In questa dinamica mi diletto a essere il manichino di me stessa. Non è solo un ammiccamento a una moda mia il mio abito, ma una più convinta e coerente dichiarazione sull’incedere delle idee, attraverso l'attenzione e il bilanciamento. La mia arte, voglio dire, merita attenzione, non solo quando è esposta.

L'abito di una donna folle, costruito su un’idea equilibrata. Poco meno di un chilo di rotolini di carta e anellini in metallo, uniti quanto le mie decisioni, come centinaia di occhi che guardano il mio corpo all’interno, mentre mi immedesimo in un’istallazione vivente geometrica. Prima mi spoglio, poi lo indosso e divento la sua superficie. Non mi nasconde, anzi, mi espone come fossi un argomento che non ne vuol sapere di rimanere in bocca, una nuova lingua da decifrare, una contemporanea forma di insubordinazione cromatica. Lo rivedo spesso anche io, questo mio abito, e mi chiedo se sono stata davvero io a costruirlo o se è stato lui a costruire me; forse sono la sua scultura, il suo manichino consenziente. Forse sono io che vesto lui. La resistenza del mio abito non è una funzione tecnica, ma una sua dichiarazione di dovuta cautela. Non si può portarlo se non si è disposti a prendersene cura. Non si può indossarlo senza essergli amica. Ho creato una struttura modulare che mentre mantiene intatta la sua aura cromatica, può giocare contemporaneamente attraverso una regolarità geometrica che può mutare temporaneamente con una potenziale estensione della forma, in ogni direzione. I colori rendono il capo festoso evocando universi psichedelici e atmosfere d'effetti inaspettati. La relazione tra corpo e capo qui è anche simbolica: l’abito non protegge dalle nudità, né riscalda, ma compone un reticolo visivo in cui il corpo, diventa sfondo vivente che lo sostiene. Una mia interpretazione, questa struttura dell’abito, che potrebbe ricordare vagamente una pacifica e ludica maglia delle antiche armature. La mia prima creazione di questo genere è l'ennesima evoluzione che avrà seguito.

Agglomerato di unità, addensate per contatto quasi forzato. Ci si può muovere ma in direzioni obbligate. Ho provato a dare idea di aver rinunciato a una direzione: massi che si compensano tra loro ma per l'assenza di spazio. Un insieme di presenze, di corpi. Sagome, diciamo, che rinunciano anche a una verticalità autonoma, quasi per un peso invisibile condiviso simultaneamente. La mia poetica si gioca in questa tensione tra costrizione e accettazione. Non c’è cedimento ma nemmeno lotta. Non posso dire di aver messo in scena l’abitudine del prossimo sociale, ma la sua interiorizzazione, passiva. L’insidia risiede in una geometria dell’abitudine, che io stesso ho provato in età giovanile, per noia, per curiosità, aderendone praticamente a ogni sfumatura individuata. Una struttura elementare nelle dinamiche quanto in ciò che se ne ottiene. Una porta sempre aperta ma non si sa bene su cosa. Due persone, dieci, cinquanta, cento: aumenta il numero di argomenti da impastare. Impastare, come si impasta una torta che nessuno finirà mai con l’assaggiare davvero.

Transforming a disused wall, rather than simply restoring it, becomes a way of crafting a visual narrative upon forgotten or overlooked surfaces. There’s often a moment of surprise when I suggest this approach. I observe the wall’s features its flaws, the traces left by time. The technique I choose depends on the nature of the wall and the effect I seek to achieve, yet my underlying aim remains consistent: to preserve as much memory as possible of what I intend to alter. In these cases, my goal is to recreate a wall that engages with its surrounding space without betraying its essence. Ruins, in this light, become the quiet poetry of a wall left undisturbed. It's not easy to offer structural support with new materials while avoiding the erasure of time’s imprint, but occasionally it can be done. There are places and walls that should never be tidied up they deserve protection from those who wish to beautify them. It’s not always possible, but sometimes, it’s enough to sense it. 

In my home, illuminated by the natural light streaming through the windows, I have rediscovered the joy of expressing my creativity through the art of conceptual selfies. After years spent repressing my innate artistic inclination to conform to a life that, due to its dynamics, I felt did not truly belong to me, I have finally found myself again in the intimacy of my domestic space, transforming every corner into a small stage. I eagerly await sunny days, when the light that filters through the windows inspires me more and I feel more motivated. Without any academic training or professional guidance, I began exploring the potential of my body and mind, creating images that tell my stories. Each selfie is an inner journey exported beyond my world, through the lens of a smartphone camera always ready to support me. My art is not just a way to express myself. Each photo is an affirmation of my newfound freedom, a personal way to tell the world that I have finally chosen to live on my own terms, chasing my true essence.

Il consumo ossessivo, compulsivo, di dettagli si concentra su persone assenti, malattie, tradimenti, bollette, eventi sportivi, vecchi rancori ma anche nuovi, situazioni familiari, rimorsi, rimpianti, fobie, lamentele, insicurezze e dubbi, in un flusso continuo di concetti riciclati. Come una puntina sul vinile, che torna sempre all’indietro allo stesso solco, i dialoghi si intrecciano, di volta in volta, su matasse verbali indistricabili, diagnosi cliniche, fantasmi psicosomatici, paturnie e ipotesi spiacevoli di ogni genere. Non li si cerca neppure, a volte, gli interlocutori: li si incontra per caso, spesso pure controvoglia. La disponibilità offerta è un lasciapassare per un’invadenza mirata, magari anche premeditata. Si ha, in effetti, in alcune occasioni, l’impressione che le persone che incontriamo abbiano già un copione loro da promuoverci. Come se avessero pianificato e atteso il cosa chiederci, il cosa venire a sapere. La morbosità è la più alta forma di invadenza civile: un impicciarsi di stampo amatoriale.

The performative selfie has evolved into forms both simple and complex, and is capable of visually narrating my identities and intentions, transforming the act of photographing myself into a continuous experiment, in search of the photograph that allows me to re-evaluate my expressive parameters. In each of my digital mosaics, composed of 25 squares, art and everyday life merge into an uninterrupted visual dialogue. The creation sometimes requires careful planning, other times it doesn't. The choice of location, lighting, clothing, and props is not always premeditated. I enjoy using my face and body as a tool for study, modulating postures and gestures, even without necessarily communicating a specific message. In everyday initiatives, even completely unexpected ones, it can be an interesting way to evaluate my individuality, transforming ordinary moments into opportunities to ask myself many questions. The images thus become a starting point for reflection and interpretation. The mosaic of 25 squares represents variations of this dialogue with myself. Some squares may contain artistic selfies, with studied poses and elaborate sets. Others may show moments of daily life, in which I don't even think about how the camera will show who I am at that moment. 

The blue mountains originate from a memory of a dream I had. They were not blue in the dream itself, but they appear so in my recollection. Mountains, as they appeared in that dream, seemed to represent something different. They felt insidious. One of my older short stories, "The Water Mattress", found in my book LIBRO DI BUIO, was inspired by those images and the impressions I received from that dream. There was a strange, golden mist surrounding them. For the painting, I created a visually powerful contrast, which immediately captures attention. Layers of glaze, thin applications of color in multiple passes, create a visual vibration in the image. This is not, for me, a simple representation of a landscape, but a walk through my thoughts. It is a work that has never provided exact answers to my questions. A dream that left me, upon waking, with a sense of unreadable anguish. 

These three colorful necklaces, which I created in various sizes, were made using DAS clay and then painted with acrylic colors. They are inspired by a distant memory from my childhood. Under the arcades, in front of my house, there was a grocery store, and at the entrance, on the left, a dispenser of round, colorful chewing gum. When you chewed them, in addition to having a colored tongue, they were also hard as marble. I remember very well the moment when I inserted the coin and turned the crank, a gesture that amused me enormously 

My story is a colorful mosaic, but also transversal, extending even to black and white. I've learned to find myself even in the shades and nuances of gray, because I love colors, but I know that true freedom doesn't need rainbows. Since I was a child, I felt a rebellious energy that, even when dormant, has always been by my side. I awakened it and, together, we decided to follow my path, our path. Black and white invited me to challenge myself, between a constant discovery of my initiatives and one challenge after another, which seem inexhaustible. Every day I find new possibilities, new ways to communicate, and instead of chasing my dreams, I create them myself, and let them chase me. 

My photographic shots often depict what no longer exists. Images that are archives of architectural memories, guardians of now-dissolved geometries. Each frame is a temporal portal to spaces that the succession of events has irreparably transformed or definitively erased. The old bridge over the main exit tracks from Brescia station was used by pedestrians. A structure of iron and concrete pillars, it supported thousands and thousands of footsteps for decades. Yet here, in this image, it continues to exist. Around it, the disused industrial buildings bid it farewell when it was eliminated to make way for its successor, an anonymous bridge in style and devoid of the charm of a past. The old bridge, erased from urban memory, in this image stubbornly continues to exhibit its historical dignity, and the old station, frequented by generations of travelers, still sadly remembers that last day of demolition. The slaps received by our memories can rarely be returned. Only photographs, today, visual relics, can constitute, far more than a thought and imagined memory, with precision, the final dwelling of places and structures betrayed to attend the future. The image of places consigned to non-existence are often graphic tombstones in memory of a lost that frustrates. 

The art series Invisible Absences originates from a fascinating and unusual concept: utilizing fragments of celestial bodies that have fallen to Earth, pulverizing them to create pigments. These mineral powders originate from meteorites, asteroids, or other space objects that have landed on our planet over millennia. These fragments, carefully recovered and cataloged, harmless to living beings, are transformed into chromatic solutions. I experience the silence in space as an absent entity whose pervasive presence I can intuit; it has often fueled my imagination. Silence, or what we humans perceive as such, could only be acknowledged with the advent of the human mind.

FRONTAL

In my portraiture, I seek a delicate balance between spontaneity and artistic refinement. I eschew overly controlled lighting and technical precision, believing such rigidity can stifle an image's organic essence. Instead, I embrace spontaneity, welcoming the natural imperfections of composition and focus. These perceived flaws, rather than detracting, enrich the aesthetic, contributing to a raw authenticity that aligns with my pursuit of natural beauty and unfiltered expression. While I aim to present my subjects at their best, I avoid rigid rules that might preclude the unexpected. I am captivated by the interplay of light and form, focusing on capturing the essence of a moment rather than mere mechanical perfection. Through my images, I strive to reveal the layered complexities of the individual, without compromise. For me, photography is a process of continual transformation, allowing me to explore the multifaceted dimensions of self-expression.

In this section, we present our photographs, acknowledging the long and rich history of the photographic field. This decade marks the bicentenary of the first photograph, taken in 1826 by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce. His "View from the Window at Le Gras" was a groundbreaking achievement, albeit a far cry from the photographs we know today. The evolution of photography continued with Louis Daguerre's daguerreotype in 1839, offering sharper images. In 1847, Abel Niépce de Saint-Victor introduced negatives on glass, enabling higher quality prints. Frederick Scott Archer further refined the process in 1851 with his wet collodion technique and the ambrotype. Since then, photography has seen relentless progress, from color film to instant photography and digital technology. Today, it's a ubiquitous tool for capturing reality and communicating effectively.

Legs, here you are. To my rescue, I have a pink razor, its bubble gum color reminding me of the eighties. My secret disposable weapon, an aesthetic ally. In selfies, and not only in those, the expression "casually conceptual" has all the air of an oxymoron. Here is the body; among the main introspective protagonists. An emblem sometimes abstract in the most realism. In the foreground or in the background or integrated into the surrounding environment. Or it acts as a support itself, if you decide to capture an activity on it. In spontaneous domestic privacy, it is not necessary to pay attention to posture, facial expression, hand gestures, or limb position. Every detail, however casual for convenience, may not have to convey any message. In photographing myself in domestic intimacy, with the household objects that surround me, the body is an unconscious introspective protagonist. 

My artistic research has never been confined to a single form of expression. From the outset, my curiosity has driven me to explore the intrinsic potential of every material, investigating its structure, its reactions to light, and beyond. I have worked with minerals, natural powders, and oxidized metals, seeking to understand how each element could transform into a visual vehicle. And my experimentation hasn't been limited to canvases. I have tested dozens of different types of wood and metal. In parallel, I have deepened my understanding of the interaction between light and matter. I have studied the refractions and shadows produced by reflective, opaque, or translucent surfaces. I have experimented with various types of lighting: natural light, which evolves over the course of hours, and artificial light, with interplay of intensity, colors, and filters capable of modifying the perception of the artworks. Equally important has been the work on the chemical properties of materials. Oxidation reactions and controlled deterioration have allowed me to achieve chromatic effects in continuous transformation. I have observed how certain minerals, combined at different temperatures, produce astonishing nuances, and how organic materials respond to the passage of time, integrating the very concept of duration and mutation into artistic creation.

Handmade objects, interwoven with the essence of a photographic performance, transcend the function of mere accessories to become narrative instruments: fragments of stories crafted with patience, intuition, and mindful artistry. Every knot, every stitch, every fold speaks of ideas taking shape through an imperfect human touch unrepeatable precisely because of its imperfection. These objects do not merely illustrate an idea visually and materially; they explain it, amplify it, redefine it, and transform it. They become silent protagonists of the performance, capable of shaping a conceptual scene that captivates the gaze and questions the viewer. In the dialogue between object and photography, every detail takes on meaning. Light glides across surfaces, revealing the imperfections that bring the object to life; the shadows they cast enhance its three-dimensionality, offering a visual testament to what escapes mechanical reproduction. Each imperfection becomes a distinctive feature, a silent language that narrates the time it took to emerge and the value of the gesture that brought it into being. These objects demand an attentive gaze, a slow gaze—one that calls for respect. They are catalysts of imagination, thresholds to fleeting worlds, suspended in the instant when, through art, I succeed in giving them life and meaning.

I embark on a personal journey through the intimacy of outward appearance, highlighting the natural state of aesthetic vulnerability. I capture moments when my facial features still bear traces of sleep, when my hair is tousled or my eyes are half-closed as I gradually adjust to the morning light. Even the objects around me, in this context, take on symbolic significance: a freshly brewed cup of tea or coffee, rumpled sheets, or the disarray of a room not yet touched by the rhythm of the day. Each object becomes part of a silent language, contextualizing an experience that belongs as much to my body as to my mind, in an intimate dialogue with the everyday. The goal is not to create traditional selfies meant to be shown and validated by an external gaze, but rather a series of self-portraits that narrate the story of my physical self during a moment of transition between private naturalness and the self prepared for the public eye. These self-portraits reveal a deeper, contemplative dimension, capturing my essence without filters—an essence that does not seek to impress, but simply to exist. After all, photography is also a way to engage in dialogue with oneself, to observe one’s face as a mirror that reflects not only outward appearance but also mood, fatigue, or the weight of awakening. Perhaps, in these fleeting moments of early morning, I am able to capture a fragment of physical truth that tends to elude me throughout the rest of the day.

There was countryside in the neighborhood where I grew up. I would watch it as it slowly inhaled, holding for a moment an ancient rhythm, only to exhale after I had already walked away. The plowed fields spoke an earthy dialect, one that only the plants could truly understand. The countryside is a place where nature and man challenge each other without ever laying down their arms. Today, painting it sometimes means disturbing the quiet of men who place their trust solely in their grapes, in their grain. In the countryside, I meet people whose speech is, at times, woven with profanity, as if it were a natural cadence of their lives. And the water ditches they draw from—the oxygen of agriculture—are the punctuation of ancient and necessary habits. Perhaps the quantum is nothing more than a mere punctuation of the ancestral. 

On various occasions of domestic selfies, I present myself both as a mirror and as a reflection of my personality in an artistic manner. I navigate seamlessly between a natural, makeup-free visage and one stylized through cosmetic interventions. Wigs, often unconventional and vibrant, become part of my repertoire, transforming each photo into an opportunity to reinvent myself. They are not merely accessories but tools of metamorphosis, bridging my inner self with a playful exploration of identity. Every wig I choose feels like a deliberate decision about who I want to be in that precise moment. The synthetic locks, with their shape, color, and texture, become a language—a visual grammar that reveals fragments of myself hidden within. In front of the lens, I am both the photographer and the subject, with wigs serving as my blank canvas, ready to be painted with creativity and imagination. These performances, whether photographic or filmed, become a subtle interplay between identity and imagination. Each image or filmed frame captures a moment of evolving artistic expression, a fragment of sincerity disguised in artifice. Sometimes, the wig lends me courage I didn’t know I had; other times, it reveals vulnerability I hadn’t anticipated. These emotions emerge unexpectedly, enriching the process and leaving a lasting impression. I often wonder what remains of these performances within me. It is not just a visual memory but something deeper: the awareness of being multifaceted, of carrying within me an infinity of faces and stories. Wigs remind me that I am never just one person. Every day, I can choose who to be, how to see myself, and how to present myself to the world. Despite society’s tendency to box people into static labels, these performances allow me to escape that rigidity. Ultimately, what I love most about these moments is the sensation of absolute freedom. Each performance is an evolving story that changes with every wig, expression, and interpretation. This process not only expands my understanding of myself but also becomes a celebration of the fluidity and boundless possibilities of identity.

That morning I woke up with something else on my mind. But the feeling of surprise and curiosity definitely outweighed my commitments, which I decided to put off. For the first time, after almost a year of testing, one of my paintings, created with autonomously variable colored minerals, changed during the night, without any chemical or electrical tricks. The stain, a dark earthy orange, transformed into a lighter and brighter orange hue. It wasn't just a different shade, but a true chromatic metamorphosis that gave the painting a new look. The new color was revealed, overshadowing the previous one in a random harmony. There were already objects capable of changing color thanks to chemical reactions, but not with my method. A neighbor, a chemist by profession, had been an art buddy for months, showing me how I could hypothetically achieve such results. Then I took pictures and made notes. I already imagined new works and new experiments. 

"IRIS" (2022) 50 X 150

For a long time, I dabbled in various forms of artistic expression and techniques as a hobby. However, it is through my canvases that my artistic exploration has evolved, transforming from a recreational pursuit into a complex personal, conceptual, and artistic endeavor. I transform colored paper, shaping forms and textures, creating works that evoke emotions in me and, I hope, in those who view them.