federicocortese

Abstract composition, oil on paper, 2021.

Some concentric circles are superimposed over a very simple geometric pattern that resembles a city map, recalling the idea of an explosion. From the intersection of the two overlapped geometries, decorative forms are born, and somehow they dampen that suggestion of violence and destruction. The explosion thus is crystallized, becoming one with the surrounding elements and sharing their fragility.

Some concentric circles are superimposed over a very simple geometric pattern that resembles a city map, recalling the idea of an explosion. From the intersection of the two overlapped geometries, decorative forms are born, and somehow they dampen that suggestion of violence and destruction. The explosion thus is crystallized, becoming one with the surrounding elements and sharing their fragility.

Interior view, oil on canvas, 2021. Original sold.

Abstract composition, oil on cardboard, 2021.

Imaginary urban view, oil on canvas, 2020. Original sold.

From a series of imaginary surreal fish. Oil on wood. Original sold.

Surreal imaginary animals.

From a series of surreal fantastic animals. Original painting sold.

Imaginary landscape, oil on thick paper. Original sold.

Abstract geometric composition. Oil on thick paper. ORIGINAL SOLD.

An original piece from the series “Chromatic”, oil on thick paper. Original size 18 x 30 cm, 2020. ORIGINAL SOLD.

An original piece from the series “Blast”, oil on thick paper, 44 x 44 cm, 2020. Some concentric circles are superimposed over a very simple geometric pattern that resembles a city map, recalling the idea of an explosion. From the intersection of the two overlapped geometries, decorative forms are born, and somehow they dampen that suggestion of violence and destruction. The explosion thus is crystallized, becoming one with the surrounding elements and sharing their fragility.

An original piece from the series “Blast”, oil on thick paper, 44 x 44 cm, 2020. Original sold. Some concentric circles are superimposed over a very simple geometric pattern that resembles a city map, recalling the idea of an explosion. From the intersection of the two overlapped geometries, decorative forms are born, and somehow they dampen that suggestion of violence and destruction. The explosion thus is crystallized, becoming one with the surrounding elements and sharing their fragility.

Virtual landscape. Original painting sold.

A simple geometric structure made by two or three series of parallel lines generates the idea of a city seen from above or from afar, an urban landscape that is at times clear and at times indefinite, where some buildings emerge with precision while others remain uncertain, thanks to the decorative elements, and where sometimes it is barely impossible to understand that these are houses. The addition of shadows doesn’t add thickness and a sense of depth, but creates the effect of a homogeneous texture, as if this was a rich embroidered fabric. Finally, the title suggests the idea that a simplified form of representation could be invented, capable of representing each city with a few geometric elements, as in a sort of diagram.

From a series of imaginary landscapes. Oil on paper.

A simple geometric structure made by two or three series of parallel lines generates the idea of a city seen from above or from afar, an urban landscape that is at times clear and at times indefinite, where some buildings emerge with precision while others remain uncertain, thanks to the decorative elements, and where sometimes it is barely impossible to understand that these are houses. The addition of shadows doesn’t add thickness and a sense of depth, but creates the effect of a homogeneous texture, as if this was a rich embroidered fabric. Finally, the title suggests the idea that a simplified form of representation could be invented, capable of representing each city with a few geometric elements, as in a sort of diagram.

I like to create imaginary worlds. Using the modeling software I invent virtual simplified realities, probably the result of travel memories and past experiences. I choose the types of buildings, I place them on a fictitious ground, check the colors to the various parts, the lights, the elements of the landscape. And then I choose a point of view and portray this place of fantasy. The traditional landscape painting has to deal with the atmospheric variables, with the mutability of natural light. Here, on the contrary, not only everything is static, but I can change the various elements at will: add or remove pieces, move something, try the effects of shadows depending on the movement of the lights.

From a series of imaginary geometric landscapes. Oil on thick paper, 2020. Original sold.

From a series of fantastic butterflies and moths

From the series “Virtual model”, oil on canvas, 50 x 50 cm, 2020.

From a series of organic abstract compositions.

Colorful abstract composition, oil on paper. Original painting sold.

from a series of imaginary landscapes.

From the series “Virtual model”, oil on paper, original painting sold.

From a series of fantastic imaginary butterflies and moths. Original sold.

From a series of imaginary weird animals. Original sold.

From a series of weird imaginary butterflies and other animals. Original painting sold.

from a series of weird fantastic butterflies and moths.

ORIGINAL SOLD. When I was a kid I went crazy for these small encyclopedias for children, where all the animal species were cataloged, and were represented with drawings rather than with images. Those drawings, although very detailed, left much to the imagination. It was as if some white space at the edges of the image were put there on purpose, to allow the viewer to complete, with the imagination, the work of describing that animal. Perhaps it is from this childhood passion that comes to me a certain obsession for animals, and a vice that leads me, starting from a detail or from a certain peculiarity, to exaggerate, to overstate the decorations and the colors, to allow the polyps to emit colored and psychedelic inks.

If you try to drip a drop of ink on a wet surface you can observe that it doesn’t spread evenly, diluting in water, but expands in a sudden and irregular way, causing streaks and branches that are oriented on the surface on the basis of the obstacles or impurities encountered, perhaps invisible. This generates a rich arabesque, a pure decoration that can vary from time to time, and that expands until it fills the entire surface.f

Fom the series “Zi hua”, pencil on paper, 30 x 40 cm. I wanted to learn to write Chinese characters, but I've lost control! I have always been fascinated by the art of ideograms, and when I was in China I spent hours and hours, enchanted to observe people trying to dip the brush into water, and to draw on the ground ephemeral signs intended to evaporate, with controlled and sensual movements. But my nature is baroque! The gesture that I started cannot be stopped, the hand begins to draw on the paper some convolutions, scrolls and doodles, at first timid, but soon prevailing over the same character and its meaning! And the gesture that remains, even if free and decorative, is extremely rewarding for me!

An original piece from the series “Zi hua”: I wanted to learn to write Chinese characters, but I've lost control! I have always been fascinated by the art of ideograms, and when I was in China I spent hours and hours, enchanted to observe people trying to dip the brush into water, and to draw on the ground ephemeral signs intended to evaporate, with controlled and sensual movements. But my nature is baroque! The gesture that I started cannot be stopped, the hand begins to draw on the paper some convolutions, scrolls and doodles, at first timid, but soon prevailing over the same character and its meaning! And the gesture that remains, even if free and decorative, is extremely rewarding for me!

An original piece from the series “Zi hua”: I wanted to learn to write Chinese characters, but I've lost control! I have always been fascinated by the art of ideograms, and when I was in China I spent hours and hours, enchanted to observe people trying to dip the brush into water, and to draw on the ground ephemeral signs intended to evaporate, with controlled and sensual movements. But my nature is baroque! The gesture that I started cannot be stopped, the hand begins to draw on the paper some convolutions, scrolls and doodles, at first timid, but soon prevailing over the same character and its meaning! And the gesture that remains, even if free and decorative, is extremely rewarding for me!

Franz Kafka never moved from his Prague. For the setting of his novel "Amerika", he probably used the notions that he took from the newspapers and from his literary knowledge. Then he filled the gaps left by that information with his imagination, inventing a really comprehensive and credible setting. Today he wouldn’t have this problem, because the network provides us with detailed and substantial information on anything. Universal knowledge is available to all. And everyone, sooner or later run into the same two problems: this information is too much, we do not need it! (till the point that often we remain submerged and we do not know anymore what we were looking for). And then, how do we verify its authenticity? The virtual reproduction