Oil, New Media, Resin, 24k gold leaf on canvas. ...
4
Paintings
Untitled
$4.1K
by Salvatore Battaglia at Louie LouieLondon, United Kingdom
Salvatore Battaglia
London, United Kingdom
"Reviving the traditional Sicilian maioliche (tiles) with gold leaf features."
I am an Italian artist born in Sicily (1985), where I studied at Liceo Artistico "Diego Bianca Amato" in Cefalù to obtain a diploma of goldsmith and qualification of art master. Working as a ceramic artist, I developed skills to paint on various materials and surfaces while understanding colour and its use.
My latest collection is a homage to the Sicilian cultural wonderland with inspiration stemming from Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Norman and Spanish heritages. Sicily is a brilliant mix of old and new, traditional and unexpected, therefore I use the traditional Sicilian majolica techniques and adding the 24k gold features to stress and revive the beauty of this magical island. The majolica ceramics have survived for centuries and the stories they still tell us remain as vital, unique and animated as the hand-painted baroque ornamentations themselves.
My work is currently in private collections in the USA, United Kingdom, Portugal and Australia.
My latest collection is a homage to the Sicilian cultural wonderland with inspiration stemming from Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Norman and Spanish heritages. Sicily is a brilliant mix of old and new, traditional and unexpected, therefore I use the traditional Sicilian majolica techniques and adding the 24k gold features to stress and revive the beauty of this magical island. The majolica ceramics have survived for centuries and the stories they still tell us remain as vital, unique and animated as the hand-painted baroque ornamentations themselves.
My work is currently in private collections in the USA, United Kingdom, Portugal and Australia.
by Salvatore BattagliaQ&A
How do your pieces come to life? Tell us one interesting thing about your creative process?
"It takes few weeks from the start of the project to completion. I really like to challenge myself with every artwork and push my boundaries even further. I start with designing the project on my laptop whilst doing a lots of research on the majolica patterns that I will be using, the architecture and mythology. I then start sketching on canvas or a wooden board, bringing the design to life via oil paint or charcoal, spray paint and gold leaves. Most of my artworks include third dimension elements so I started working with polymer clay which has proved to be exactly what I was looking for in order to create long lasting ornaments. My favourite part though is the final artwork assembly, when all the pieces and 3-D creations are put together and your vision has finally came to the light, what a felling!"
Salvatore BattagliaQ&A
What do you want people to do or feel when they encounter your creations?
"During exhibitions, I am always trying to complete my booth with traditional Sicilian ornaments to literally transport the audience into the Mediterranean. Many people keep wondering how the tiles are made, whether they are real, etc. It is always a great discussion point as I am trying to use different mediums. To hear that they feel like in Italy, Spain or Portugal and that it reminds them of the wonderful times they had, that makes it all worthwhile."
Salvatore BattagliaQ&A
What is your favorite material to work with?
"I have been exploring various mediums throughout my practice, from acrylic, spray paint, resin to oil, but I really fell in love with the charcoal. My latest artworks combine baroque ornaments, maioliche and Greek mythology figures, which are all made by charcoal. It is such an intricate material to work with, but I really enjoy every single moment of the process. Creating the shadows and working on portraits (which I used to avoid) gave me and my practice a second breath for real! As I always say if it is easy, I don't enjoy it."
Salvatore BattagliaQ&A
What motivates and inspires you?
"Sicily has an amazing history which is very often forgotten due to the infamous association with Mafia. Therefore, I have started a collaboration with an organisation called ADDIOPIZZO, which helps small businesses across Sicily, which would usually need to pay the extortion money (pizzo) to Mafia in order to be able to trade. Part of what keeps me going is to bring awareness about the current situation back home and support the activities of this brave local group.
For example, my latest artwork "Conquer the Fear" is a reflection on the fear and courage. Choices that we make determine our fate and we should never let fear to decide upon it. As Plato says, being courageous is knowing what not to fear. It can seem that nowadays, the fear is more present than ever. By being courageous, by being afraid but keep going on anyhow and having our voices heard, we can try to master and conquer the fear in these uncertain times. We are in control of our own destiny and ultimately, it is the courage that leads to happiness and makes our dreams possible."
For example, my latest artwork "Conquer the Fear" is a reflection on the fear and courage. Choices that we make determine our fate and we should never let fear to decide upon it. As Plato says, being courageous is knowing what not to fear. It can seem that nowadays, the fear is more present than ever. By being courageous, by being afraid but keep going on anyhow and having our voices heard, we can try to master and conquer the fear in these uncertain times. We are in control of our own destiny and ultimately, it is the courage that leads to happiness and makes our dreams possible."
Salvatore BattagliaQ&A
What makes a space special?
"I truly believe that you need to have a deeper connection to the artwork rather than buying it to fill your interior. Art is ultimately something we want, but don't necessarily need so in order to make a purchase or an investment, you really need to love the piece. I truly believe that one piece of art can change the entire atmosphere of the room or a house, even the small artwork can be a focal point of the room if placed correctly. As mentioned, during exhibitions I always try to furnish the booth to make it feel more homely, transport the audience and let them see, how it might look in their houses."
Salvatore BattagliaQ&A
What’s unique about your work?
"My latest collection is a homage to the Sicilian cultural wonderland with
inspiration stemming from Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Norman and Spanish heritages. Sicily is a brilliant mix of old and new, traditional and unexpected, therefore I am using the traditional Sicilian majolica techniques and add 24k gold features to stress and revive the beauty of this magical island. The majolica ceramics have survived for centuries and the stories they still tell us remain as vital, unique and animated as the hand painted baroque ornamentations themselves. I strongly believe that these beautiful traditions should be preserved for many generations to come."
inspiration stemming from Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Norman and Spanish heritages. Sicily is a brilliant mix of old and new, traditional and unexpected, therefore I am using the traditional Sicilian majolica techniques and add 24k gold features to stress and revive the beauty of this magical island. The majolica ceramics have survived for centuries and the stories they still tell us remain as vital, unique and animated as the hand painted baroque ornamentations themselves. I strongly believe that these beautiful traditions should be preserved for many generations to come."
Salvatore BattagliaWhere can you find Salvatore Battaglia's Items?
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