A look inside Gianluca Federico’s atelier
The artist and craftsman presents his way of working and the elements from which he draws inspiration
Crossing the threshold of Gianluca Federico’s atelier, the effect one has is that of entering a place similar to a wunderkammer, a space where objects of various kinds and qualities are exhibited to arouse feelings of wonder in those who observe them. astonishment. We let him tell in an interview the creative processes that lead him to work the material up to the creation of artistic and handcrafted objects that know how to look at the contemporary, while remaining inextricably linked to tradition.
What is the prorae project? How was it born and what principles guide it?
“The term prorae is Latin and means” to the bow”. It is the name of the company that I decided to open to practice my work as a craftsman, sculptor and painter.
For over 10 years I have opened a shop, an atelier of objects, sculptures, installations, design objects and other projects”.
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What’s your background? What are your past experiences?
“I am self-taught, I have experimented in the field, learning this job with experience”.
What is the typical customer who may be interested in what you exhibit in the atelier?
“There is no target; this is because everything can be found inside, from sculpture to handicrafts accessible to everyone. Anyone who enters the shop recognizes something that feels his or her own. to those who come to see my work an emotion, a feeling… I think this is the most important thing: to give something that goes beyond the sale of the object itself”.
How much has Capri influenced, and the great bond that binds island life to nature, on your work?
“I have been from Capri for generations; my art is very much inspired by nature.
I really can’t separate my identity, my roots and my work: it’s all one. I make sculptures with Capri stones, I work a lot with materials of recovery, like stranded wood. The sea is generally a great inspiration to me”.
To what extent do you think that preserving and passing on artisan knowledge is, today more than ever, the right recipe for looking to the future in a more sustainable way?
“For me this is a very important factor, as the roots always go back: even in the creation of new products there is always an ancient basis, even the prototypes of industrial design start from craftsmanship; there is always a basic project, which starts from art, from creation. The return to the roots is closely linked to that of using materials found in nature: the natural material is increasingly fascinating, because it is there that we find perfection, beauty… even a shapeless piece of wood can have great aesthetic value”.
Do you feel more of an artist or more of a craftsman?
“Everyone defines me as an artist, but I no longer feel like each other; what I do is simply take things and transform them, giving them a new meaning. I do a job I like: I can also spend nights working to my projects. I create decorations in hotels and shops in Capri, engravings of business names and personalized writings on the walls. I also make bronze shapes to order.
Finally, I feel particularly at ease in the language of sculpture, but I also happen to paint, I like the restoration of wood, the dimension of recovery, I believe in the potential of objects and in the fact that, thanks to my work, they can go back to new life”.
