Interview: Valerio Pisano
Luca Curci talks with Valerio Pisano during VISIONS, third appointment of ANIMA MUNDI 2022, at Palazzo Bembo – Venice Grand Canal.

Valerio Pisano was born in Lanusei Sardinia in 1968, a self-taught artist who started to express himself through his drawings at the age of 13. He finished his classical studies and entered the working world when he was 19. Using the ball point pen has always prevailed over his expressive techniques. He opened brackets using oil, acrylic, and other varied techniques. Over the years he has acquired the ability to fade the strokes of his pen so as to render them almost invisible. This permitted him to create drawings that some people find hard to believe that was created using a ballpoint pen, they defined them as printings.

Luca Curci – How did you get to your current artistic practice?
Valerio Pisano – I was always drawing something throughout my school years then subsequently during my working life. I used to draw with a pen directly onto school books if I didn’t have a sketchbook at hand. I started to give value and believe in what I was doing in 1990 when I took part in my first collective exhibition and then in 2002 during my first personal exhibition in the city of Lucca. However, in 2006 I decided to invest more energy into what I was doing. Commitment, stubbornness, and the transformation of criticism into a constructive one permitted me to grow qualitatively and obtain excellent personal results. These results can be viewed in the list of various personal and collective exhibitions on my website. www.valeriopisano.it/en

LC – What are your thoughts while you paint? Do you have any habits or rituals while you work?
VP – I have never actually given a thought to what I actually think about when I’m drawing. It’s definitely like having my brain in an airtight chamber, where I let out the toxic thoughts that come from outside. I ignore everything I don’t like about people and the world around me. I only let pleasant thoughts in. Most probably and unknowingly, for this reason, my production is greater in difficult times.

LC – How is your creative process?
VP – Whatever goes through my head I do. I do not let myself be influenced by technique, but by space in order to carry out my work. The creation of art does not always need large projects. Sometimes these projects are just in my head and then I draw directly onto some paper with a pen. This is when it comes to pen work. When it comes to other techniques, however, I need to plan the creation carefully. From the creation of sketches, and choice of materials and then to the creation of a prototype.

LC – Are your artworks focused on a specific theme?
VP – I am currently really satisfied with the work I am doing using the Bic pen as I have managed to produce original works of art which have yet to be seen in the immense national and international art world. Having given life to my pens and given meaning to the elements that compose them, allows me to touch on any theme that meets my interest. My intention is not only to make people reflect on social, political, climatic, and sentimental issues. My intention is to leave a mark, an emotion, a punch in the stomach, and make someone smile. What matters is that my artwork does not go unnoticed.

LC – How is being an artist nowadays?
VP – Being or doing? I can talk about being an artist. It is nice to be the artist that I am. It lets me see things that other people don’t see. It permits me to get out of the real world and into mine which is an oasis of peace. Enter my own world where I decide what and who to let in. I decide what to create. The greatest satisfaction is seeing that people like the things I bring into the real world and my intention of leaving an emotion is satisfied. I know that not everyone will like my work, but I’m not greedy enough to expect that, and it’s not my goal.

LC – What is the message linked to the artwork you have shown in this event? How is it connected to the theme of the entire exhibition?
VP – Visions. People see pen caps. Heaps of pen caps. Hundreds of pen caps. I see pens. Heaps of pens. Hundreds of pens that are free to write, draw, express themselves, transmit messages, save people, and poke out the eyes of tyrants.

LC – We were attracted by your last artistic production, has the artwork presented been created for the exhibition or as a part of pre-existing works?
VP – No, my artwork was not created specifically for this exhibition, but the concept could be approached without any contrasts.

LC – What do you think about ITSLIQUID Platform?
VP – It is certainly a platform managed by very professional people.

LC – What do you think about the organization of our event?
VP – Even though unfortunately I couldn’t be there in person, I was very happy to take part in your event, I knew that my artwork was in good hands. Prestigious exhibition spaces in Venice during the 59th Biennale! How could I not be happy with this opportunity?

LC – Would you suggest a collaboration with us? What do you think about our services?
VP – Of course. However, for now, I would recommend it only to myself. Otherwise, I would have too many competitors. I think that your services are of a high standard and, as mentioned earlier, they are managed with such professionalism that I have not found anywhere else.