I have a very romantic, in an artistic sense, conception of the natural landscape. For me, nature is a living entity of which we are a part, and we can only perceive the mystery.
Painting Through Nature: Absorbing the Ecology on Canvas | Roberto Ghezzi
Roberto Ghezzi is an artist from Cortona, Italy, whose works are created in collaboration with natural landscapes. His experimental process includes ‘in the field’ placements; leaving blank canvases among landscapes for a specific period, and letting them absorb the local ecology.
The delicate movements of the environment become embossed on the canvases, creating a union between science, art, and nature.
He observes and introduces variations to every phase of this collaborative creation, by calculating time up to the final form. Shaped over a decade, his works start with a scientific approach—an in-depth analysis of organic reality that takes a conceptual form through matter
How would you describe your relationship with natural landscapes, and how did it evolve?
My relationship with the natural landscapes is inborn. My father taught me the love of nature along with the love of art. I couldn’t live without these two things! Over time, this passion becomes a reason for living.
Working in the natural landscape is immersive. Do you find yourself awed by the vastness of nature? If yes, please share with us a memory.
I have a very romantic, in an artistic sense, conception of the natural landscape. For me, nature is a living entity of which we are a part, and we can only perceive the mystery. I have many memories of these sensations: let’s say that when I found myself alone in places like the desert, the virgin forest, or the Arctic, I felt the same sublime sensation.
What is the story behind the name ‘Naturografie’? Do you perceive your creative process as a communion or a shared experience between you and the natural world?
I wanted to give a name to the concept behind my research, as photography is the writing of light, ‘Naturography’ is the writing of the whole of nature. Yes, I believe that the process behind my work is a real, profound dialogue, a communion, between me and the environment.
How do you place natural movements such as the winds, currents, waters, and sight-specific variabilities in your creative process?
Everything that contributes to creating the work is something I cannot ignore.
The imponderability of the forces of nature is pure magic for me, and I always accept it!
Amidst the current climate crisis where Italy is experiencing dry lakes and rivers, do you think your artistic voice becomes more poignant to spread eco-awareness and to take measures towards it?
I believe that art is a powerful means of communication and can present problems from different points of view. Therefore, yes, I would like my work to be useful in this regard.
In search of topography, you have explored many countries, from Alaska, Greenland, and Iceland to South Africa. Is there a common point that binds different ecological systems in these places, or do they function independently?
I believe that the entire universe is deeply interconnected, and so are the continents of the planet Earth. And I see it very well from the traces they leave on my canvases: they are all made by the same ‘painter’, and there is the same magic and power behind each one of them. And if a continent suffers, the whole planet suffers.
What is the characteristic of a natural landscape that you have discovered with your experience that was previously unknown to you? and how do you perceive it in your works?
I think it’s very difficult to know a landscape well; a lifetime wouldn’t be enough!
I can say that I know better some places close to my studio where every year I create works, even just for pure research. Here, in these cases, I can predict the colors and shapes like a real painter. After all, I still feel like a painter who paints ‘through’ nature.
Do you treat your works before or after installing them in the landscape to prevent future alterations caused by microorganisms?
I treat my works first to catalyze the forces of nature on the canvases, and then to preserve them.
‘Sedimentation’ is an important step in your creation that is hugely affected by human activities. Can you share your experience of sedimentation differentiation from cities to untamed remote places you’ve visited?
Let’s say that even in remote places like the Arctic, traces of men were evident, through microplastics, for example. The actions of human beings impact every environment in a more or less evident way.
In what ways did you collaborate with scientists and biologists during your excursions, and how did it help you develop your practice and reveal multidisciplinary knowledge?
The relationship with science is fundamental to my research. I can lay the best foundations for a new project through the studies of researchers, and scientists often study my works to collect important data on the state of health of an environment, for example.
If you had to share a message for emerging artists who hope to work with nature, what would it be?
Leave your friends and your smartphone at home; leave your car, compass, and memories behind.
Nature truly speaks only to those who are willing to listen to it with absolute respect and silence.
What kind of movement are you creating on Earth? Would you say your rhythms are in sync with the rhythms of nature?
I wish they were, and perhaps one day they will be, but they are only at the beginning of a journey. Although I admit that it is a beautiful journey that you never get tired of.
Interview by Vanshika Agrawal
