For Patrizia Casagranda, art is more than pigment on canvas; it’s a medium for change. Her signature style, deeply rooted in recycled materials, has garnered international acclaim. Layer by layer, Patrizia’s canvases come to life, each stroke adding depth and texture to her compositions. Just as in life, she believes that art requires layering to convey emotion and meaning. In this exclusive conversation with FAB, the acclaimed artist Patrizia Casagranda opens the doors to her creative sanctum, offering insights into her inspirations, struggles, and triumphs.
If you want to live off of art, go out and show it to people.
Patrizia Casagranda
FAB: What’s your secret to international relevance and exposure?
Patrizia Casagranda: I think I have gotta style, and the style has become my advantage. It’s about recycled materials and also about women’s empowerment. It’s our time. It is also about coincidence.
FAB: Let’s unpack this style some more. What’s your style when it comes to approaching international galleries for them to display your work?
Patrizia Casagranda: In the beginning, I asked a lot of galleries, and it was very difficult to enter the art world. It’s been about eight years now; it was difficult at the start. When one gallery is successful with you, it’s easier to find a second one.
FAB: Is it in any way more challenging for women to enter the art world?
Patrizia Casagranda: Not really. I think they see your style and love it. It doesn’t matter if you’re a woman or not. That’s my opinion. Usually, there are more men than women in the professional world, but in the art world, it doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman.
FAB: One element that is recurring in your work is the portrait of female figures. What’s your connection with this particular element?
Patrizia Casagranda: It started with my experience in India. I worked in India, and I encountered some garbage girls. I couldn’t believe how the kids lived. They lived in the slums. I made portraits of them. Every morning, they would collect the garbage on the streets and sell it. It’s a kind of recycling that they do. I bought some materials and made portraits of them. I and a friend of mine have been supporting the girls. At the beginning, they got some money, and when a portrait is sold, they get money. This was the beginning of the portrait series. It started with garbage girls. I visited them in the slums, and their faces were so depressing. I saw how they lived. It’s the world heritage of a social group.
FAB: Would you say this gave you a particular niche for your paintings? Being able to care for them?
Patrizia Casagranda: We support them, and we see to it that the children go to school. In India, the lower castes don’t go to school. We support them. We try to give them a better life.
The Art of Structured Expression
FAB: Your work involves up to fifteen layers, and they create a fascinating depth effect. How do you go about choosing materials? What is the significance of layering in your own artistic expression?
Patrizia Casagranda: If you want to have a structure, you have to layer. You cannot do just one layer and have depth of expression, texture, and structure. I have to add another layer and another one. For me, it’s perfect that way.
FAB: Is this layering symbolic of life in general? Our lives have so many layers.
Patrizia Casagranda: Yes, it’s like nature. It’s like a tree with rings of years. Just like humans, we have a lot of layers. I react to my layer. That’s life. If something happens or I make something happen,I have to react to it. That’s my way of working.
If you want to have a structure, you have to layer. You cannot do just one layer and have depth of expression, texture, and structure.
Patrizia Casagranda
FAB: You mentioned that the statements at the back of your pictures serve as mantras to start the day positively. Could you elaborate on this?
Patrizia Casagranda: I would call them quotes of empowerment. For example, some say, “We don’t need electricity to make work fly” and “What we do today determines what will be tomorrow.” These are quotes from people like Marie, Charlie Chaplin, and others. You can’t see them as just letters at first glance. You have to look again and again to see and understand the phrase. What I want to evoke is a good vibe. The one who looks is the last layer of the painting.
FAB: Sometimes I wake up with a different layer, and it could be positive or negative. Then in the afternoon, I get a different layer, and it’s left for me to choose which layer to keep. When you paint, do you have a specific layer you live on, as much as you want to be positive?
Patrizia Casagranda: I am very emotional. I want to paint an emotional work, and I want to have a feeling of perfection at the end. In the end, it makes me happy. I hope that in the end, my painting does not only make me happy but also makes others who look at it feel it.
FAB: Do you have any personal rituals or routines that play a role in nurturing your creativity?
Patrizia Casagranda: I’ve got family and friends. I feel loved and inspired by them. I get to know a lot of people. They are always moving, and it’s inspiring.
FAB: Do you have a place to go where you feel comfortable and connected to nature or even your painting?
Patrizia Casagranda: Yes. It’s also when I get to know some people, for example, the garbage girls, or when I get to know a Ukrainian fighter fighting on the frontlines. I was very impressed that they were fighting for freedom. They want their children to go out in peace. For example, one of them studied law, and they said to me, “Why should I study law? When the Russian army…” They said it’s not possible because we have no hope. They are fighting for freedom, and that’s really hard on them.
FAB: With the uncertainty in the world, what do you keep for yourself other than those who have collected your art?
Patrizia Casagranda: I also keep paintings for myself. I keep paintings that I love.
Patrizia Casagranda: I try to spread my art. I have had numerous exhibitions. I also make open calls. I want to spread my art, and I think it’s very important. If you want to live off of art, go out and show it to people. It’s also very important to get reactions from spectators. Criticism and admiration help. I am also very strategic.
Do not copy. Be inspired by other artists, but you have to find your own style.
Patrizia Casagranda
Projections for the Art Market and Personal Reflections
FAB: You’ve travelled widely, and you’ve been to the most important places. What’s the deal, and how can a young artist attain this level?
Patrizia Casagranda: I think I have a social aspect to what I do. This is also very important. It’s not only art for art. I think the social part is also important. Everyone tries their best. You cannot plan it. You cannot say I’ll go here or there. It’s also that you’re chosen. I always try to do my best. I spread my art. I love to spread my art. I am very enthusiastic about my art.
You also have to find your own style. Do not copy. Be inspired by other artists, but you have to find your own style.
FAB: You have received a total of three important prizes. How do you embrace it, live with it, and continue to be creative without letting it get to you?
Patrizia Casagranda: It’s always about challenges. I love a challenge, and it helps a lot. I like to challenge myself and set a goal. I was able to win an award twice. I was really surprised that I could win the award twice. I was really happy.
FAB: What’s your projection for the European art market in 2024?
Patrizia Casagranda: I think the world is a bit stable at the moment, and I also think the world market is a bit stable. For me, I think 2024 will be a very good year. I hope everything will be good and stable. For the art market in Germany, people have been very thoughtful in the last six months. They’ve been seeking to buy more.
Fashion, Beauty, and Lifestyle with Patrizia Casagranda
FAB: What are the three fashion pieces that can be found in your closet?
Patrizia Casagranda: I like fenty dresses, I like shoes, and I like jackets. I don’t use jewellery because I always lose it. Stay up to date on the newest in the world of Fashion, Arts, Beauty and Lifestyle; Follow FAB on Instagram.
FAB: What’s your go-to fitness ritual?
Patrizia Casagranda: I love yoga. I love to be fit. I am not really fit, but I want to be. I’m not so disciplined with sports, but I try to do a bit of it.
FAB: What’s the beauty or makeup item that will always be found on you?
Patrizia Casagranda: Eyeliner
Fun Zone: #FabFastFive
- FAB: Coffee or tea?
Patrizia Casagranda: Coffee
- FAB: Movie or music
Patrizia Casagranda: Music
- FAB: Easiest way to make you laugh?
Patrizia Casagranda: Jokes
- FAB: Sunset or Sunrise?
Patrizia Casagranda: Sunrise. - FAB: Summer or winter?
Patrizia Casagranda: Winter.
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