“Stories of Hope” is a long-term project. I meet ordinary people that carry a message of hope, a fragment of the future”
— Luca
Story#12 - Nino
A journey to be an artist
Nino, Paris (France)
Nino is a young artist from Georgia who has been studying and living in Paris. I met her at Beaux-Art de Paris, a dream for many artists. The art school receives yearly many applications and is one of the most competitive schools to access.
The website makes it clear: "Beaux-Arts de Paris is a place of artistic instruction and experimentation, exhibitions and conservation of historical and contemporary collections, as well as a publishing house."
Beaux-Art de Paris's mission is to educate and train students planning to devote themselves to high-level artistic creation. So, if you want to be an artist, this is definitely an experience that can help you.
She came to Paris to pursue her dedication to painting and find her way as an artist.
"I have been painting since my childhood. Last summer, when I went back home, I discovered paintings made when I was 10... it is on me." But in Georgia, you cannot live as an artist. Or, at least, it is not easy.
She knew she needed to study. She decided to sign up at Architecture, which is, as she says "a sort of in-between area, the closest to art".
Education
“I am very happy to be an architect and be able to expand my knowledge”.
"I am very happy to be an architect and be able to expand my knowledge."
During the years at University, she continued to paint and follow her passion even if it was not easy.
"Slowly, I started getting good feedback on my paintings, little exhibitions, international open calls but the most important was a Swiss collector who bought some of my paintings. We met while I was coordinating a Soviet Architecture Study trip for Swiss architects and could share my artworks during a family lunch in Tbilisi. These kinds of exchanges are signs that help you plan your way."
It was like breathing for her. She could plan a move to Paris after being accepted at The Paris Institute of Political Studies (SciencePo).
"I knew I had to study and I had to work: a master degree in a prestigious University can probably expand my possibilities and create a backup for my future".
Paris’ influence
“I love this. I can do this."
The cultural offers of Paris made the difference. "I was looking at exhibitions, contemporary art scene and thinking: I love this. I can do this!”.
She applied to Beaux-Art de Paris and, because of her previous work in arts, she was accepted directly in the third year (out of the five of the whole programme) and she had the opportunity to immediately start exhibiting her work at the 'diploma' milestone of the Beaux-Art.
"Recently French collectors started being interested and buying my works. It is encouraging as you get the sense that you can live out of his. I know that, for the moment, I need to work in parallel to earn a living and pay the bills of such an expensive city like Paris.”
She loves the atelier in Baux-Art de Paris and she knows it is an important opportunity for her.
"Beaux-Art de Paris is a nice place: everyone is in his own world, but when you need something, you find support, pieces of advice, feedback and even a practical helping hand.".
I have tried to get some insight into the creative process of an artist.
"If I paint, I rarely listen to music. I need silence, and I need to concentrate and find my own rhythm. Music can take you away. I need to be alone."
The access to the atelier
"At a more professional level, you need full dedication. Your mindset should be set on creation for art. It is not something you can do after a 'normal' job or during the weekend. When you become artist, it is constant research, experimentation and dedication."
"I had a privilege for the last 18 Months: during COVID, I could work a lot, without hesitation. I could come here and dedicate much time to painting."
"Here, we have one of the most beautiful ateliers that you can have."
But she knows it is a part of her journey: "In the future, I want to be just an artist and live of my paintings. The last few years taught me that this is not impossible."
Everyone is an artist of some sort and many people desire to be an artist. The reality is only a few choose to live the life of an artist.
Nino has put this objective in perspective and lined up many steps and stages that you need to undertake to live as a painter. She is not yet there, but, so far, everything is in the right direction.
Another ‘story of hope’, which can maybe encourage those who are following a dream, a passion, a goal.
STORIES of HOPE. Simple stories of ordinary people that carry a message of hope, a fragment of future. I have been meeting incredible people, that transmit energy, passion, engagement. I talk to them and try to find their message of hope.
Story#10 - PAFF
The future of comics
PAFF, the palace of comic arts, Pordenone (Italy)
Pordenone is my hometown. Located in North-East of Italy, it is a small province of about 50.000 inhabitants, just a fraction of any metropolitan area.
I was curious to learn how a small group of talented artists decided to create a cultural space dedicated to comics in such a small town. They haven't called it 'museum of comics', but 'palace of comic arts': this is PAFF.
I wanted to meet one of the founders of this unique initiative.
When I was directed to Emanuele Barison, all was clear. Pordenone has a long tradition of cartoonists: already at the beginning of 1960, Giorgio Bordini worked for "Topolino" and was well known throughout Italy; later, Emanuele Barison continued his legacy at Disney, before working at Diabolik; then a new wave of younger cartoonists like Giancarlo Tenenti, Ugo Furlan, Davide Toffolo, Romeo Toffanetti, Giulio De Vita.
Emanuele Barison, co-founder of PAFF
Altogether, these artists contribute to the quality of cartoon production in Italy (but also France and Europe). So, after all, it was not so strange if PAFF was created just there.
Emanuele is one of the leaders of this fascinating experience, and I am grateful he found time to discuss it with me. His talent, position in the Italian cartoon space, and personal story are well documented: this short story is not on that, which is known, but on his vision to take the comic arts to a new level.
Sometimes in Italy, comics are considered a minor form of art, mainly for children. Or for the newspapers, part of the political satyr.
Comics are art.
"In France, comics are a form of literature. Visual art for all: storytelling, images, colours".
"In France, comics are a form of literature. It is an art, in all respect: a narration through imagines. Visual art for all: storytelling, images, colours".
PAFF is a magical place for comics, immerse in an urban park, 5 minutes walking distance from the main square. Accessible to all.
There is a direction that PAFF took, which is unique: PAFF is not the 'classic' museum, which hosts exhibitions on -in this case- comics. Emanuele and the group of founders understood that the boundaries had to be set way beyond this.
Comics and cartoons need to enter into a dialogue with other forms of communication and arts.
"It is not a museum. It is a hub for creative minds, which builds on comics. It is about design, graphics, painting, scenography, modern art, radio".
Pordenone has a long tradition of cartoonists, and it was natural to give a similar group the facility to build an exciting project.
PAFF is European excellence. The idea started 12 years ago with Giulio De Vita. Under the guidance, the experience and the network of Emanuele, the project evolved and opened to the public two years ago. Moreover, PAFF became an association. One of the first comic associations in the EU to manage a modern art gallery.
Giuseppe, at PAFF
Three exhibitions have been organised so far: Gradimir Smudja, Giorgio Cavezzano and Milo Manara, which ran during my chat with Emanuele.
"Milo Manara is the most famous Italian cartoonist, and we are so happy we can propose his work".
But PAFF is also a place for events, training, concerts, team building. It constantly builds bridges with literature and national events, offering opportunities to new artists to present their work.
There is always a new idea on the horizon, a new way to disseminate the richness of comics.
"We will develop the relationship between sound and comics, promoting concerts at the gallery. And, why not a new PAFF TV channel? We want to raise awareness on the art present in this place, to attract people here, but also to give visibility to new artists".
Like what the Director of the Musee Matisse in Nice told me, the art is not for online fruition. Art cannot be virtual: it is another thing.
"The value is the paper user, the colour selected, the brush, the detail."
PAFF is reachable in 1h15min train (+10 min walk) from Venice, a classical touristic destination of the region, expanding the attractivity of an area with a unique cultural offering.
I believe you need strong motivation and talent to imagine a place like the PAFF in a small size province of Italy. Emanuele showed me how to build a cultural centre of excellence without moving to big cities or abroad.
He was a volcano of new ideas and initiatives, shared with a small, highly motivated team. These experiences create hope, generate enthusiasm, transit energy and stimulate cultural exchanges with other disciplines.
PAFF has lost more than one year because of covid. But this time was used to prepare new surprises.
Looking forward to that. A place which, for sure, I will visit very often every time I pass by home.
Grazie mille, Emanuele
STORIES of HOPE. Simple stories of ordinary people that carry a message of hope, a fragment of future. I have been meeting incredible people, that transmit energy, passion, engagement. I talk to them and try to find their message of hope.
Story#9 - Ilaria
Colours of hope
Ilaria, Porcia (PN), Italy
Ilaria is an artisan, a mosaicist, and I met her in her small laboratory, two steps from the apartment she shared with his husband.
In her laboratory
Although when you think at mosaic in Italy you immediately imagine Ravenna, Vasto, Pompei, the small province in the North-East of Italy where I come is renowned for preparing masters of the art of mosaic.
Her journey
"I study graphic design, but I was scared to imagine my life in front of a laptop all time.”
"I have worked few years for one of the few large laboratories in the region and then decided to open my own business".
A unique art
"Mosaic is a niche market: realising a final piece can be very expensive, takes a lot of time, and many people don't understand its process."
Still now, many requests come from the US or from abroad. At the same time, in Italy projects, mainly rely on the religious ecosystem: churches, cathedrals, old abbeys, sometimes museums. But often, this happens only if the work is sponsored.
"COVID didn't help, as I had no opportunities to promote my work, seek connections, forge collaborations. The market of mosaic went basically on hold."
"I missed working on mosaic so much! But I took the challenge and set up my own company to continue doing what I like the most. And I want to do it here".
Finalising a mosaic project is a complex assessment: you need to size the dimensions from a plan, get a sense of the materials necessary, decide on the colours, tonalities, quantities. A mosaicist usually works on drawing prepared by others. The artist works in sections, as the main project is divided into drawing parts assembled when placing the final craft.
Most of the work is done in the laboratory by a team of artists who work together. Once the whole project is completed, it is transported on-site for placing.
"The work in the lab is a real team exercise because the final work needs to be consistent and harmonic".
Very few women can also do the placing part of the project on-site, as it is very physical demanding: the use of cement, the tools, the scaffolds, the position requested to place the layer of mosaic make it very hard for a woman.
Ilaria showed me the "how to do": how to handle the 750gr hammer ("Although at school they teach us to use a 1 kg hammer), the integration with the wood strain, the chock, the little roll with a diamond spike to incise the layer of glass (the "pizza").
Simple tools for repetitive, but never equal, gestures.With natural precision and timing, Ilaria broke small pieces of glass. It is the first part of any project, intense and prudent.
She also explained advanced techniques, such as the one used by Giandomenica Facchina, a French mosaicist (but of Italian origin), who decorated most of the Opera Garnier in Paris. He invented his unique 'reverse technique', to reduce time and effort for large dimension mosaics.
I was impressed by the importance of details.
Finding and placing a coloured little piece of glass of a specific colour is not that easy. Intensity, tonalities, complementarity are criterias that a mosaicist needs to consider.
"When to look a mosaic is not from close. Colours observed from a certain distance need to be calibrated, the same way photographers do with their monitor if they want to print their imagines with fidelity".
I enjoyed talking with Ilaria: she took me into the beautiful world of mosaic and helped me to understand the dedication an artist need to put in crafting a unique piece of art. You can breathe her passion and her motivation for this art.
"Life asked me to stay here. Here, around me, is where I want to produce my crafts."
I admire those who believe in their dreams. I wrote it also for other stories. Some people, particularly young people, invest in their future and build it little by little, piece by piece, like in a mosaic.
Good luck, Ilaria!
STORIES of HOPE. Simple stories of ordinary people that carry a message of hope, a fragment of future. I have been meeting incredible people, that transmit energy, passion, engagement. I talk to them and try to find their message of hope.
Story#8 - Lorenzo
Doing what we truly are passionate about
Lorenzo, Cordenons (Italy)
Lorenzo is 21 years old. He is an open mind guy, a clean soul.
I met him back in June in Italy, when the country was about to reopen after several lockdowns. He welcomed me at his place, and our conversation started like we knew each other for many years.
Like many people, he had time to think and refocus.
Not that what he was doing was not bringing him personal satisfaction and rewards: good at schools, good in sport, particularly football. Good (enough) on almost everything he does.
But the pandemic, in many cases, brought its powerful wave of time, solitude and thinking to assess our journey in life.
At his piano
"Before starting university, a few years ago, I suspended my study at the conservatory on classical piano and focused on maths. But then, during the lockdown, I began posting on social media some videos of me singing. Those were my first songs, lyrics and music and, although I wasn't fully convinced of the outcome, probably because of my maniacal attitude to perfection, the feedbacks were encouraging."
He did more and more, building a little studio at home and find new motivations.
Lorenzo decided to close his experience in the sport, which was extremely promising with a fascinating opportunity with a professional football team, and dedicate all his energy to the music.
"This is what I want to do. I am ready to take my risk, and I want to dedicate one year of my life to this dream, becoming a singer. I will finish University and follow this dream".
"I listen to different genres of music, Italian and international, pop and classic, recent and back in the past. It is the beauty of the music, so broad, but I know I will find my voice and my own space."
He doesn't plan to apply to a TV music talent show, where he believes one needs to have a strong personality ("I don't think I have yet!"), but instead continuing creating his stories, lyrics and music, getting feedback from a close, trusted network and build his artistic path progressively.
I enjoyed talking to Lorenzo. He carries a strong desire for a bright future. He feels he can probably choose many areas for his maturity, but the music gives him the longest breath.
It is about us
“We need to do what we truly are passionate about, even if this comes with risks”
Lorenzo is one of these people who are out there to remind us that we can follow our passions and dreams and take some risks because we must do what we really like in our lives.
Good luck, Lorenzo! Buona musica.
A song
“A te vorrei farti capire che nessuno può dirti cosa devi fare con il tuo futuro, chi devi essere.
Perchè nessuno ti conosce meglio di te stessa.
Chiudi gli occhi. Fallo per davvero. Respira.
E sogna la cosa che ti rende più felice. Ecco. Segui quella strada. Suda, fatica, cadi, rialzati, fallisci, fallisci, fallisci”.
“Lorenzo” is one of my stories featured in “VERA” Magazine.
STORIES of HOPE. Simple stories of ordinary people that carry a message of hope, a fragment of future. I have been meeting incredible people, that transmit energy, passion, engagement. I talk to them and try to find their message of hope.
Story#7 - Thierry
Adaptation, motivation, hope
Thierry de Pina, Nice (France)
Thierry is an actor.
I discovered his work while in Nice last April. I was intrigued by his story during the first lockdown phase: theatres were closed with no clear indications of reopening.
He invited me to his place, in the heart of ‘Viuex-Nice’ and I made an immediate connection to one of the reasons while I wanted to meet him.
He started proposing ‘Theatre a domicile’, playing at private houses and apartments, with minimum requirements of social distances.
I found this choice a concrete way of adapting to the new circumstances, although the French administration decided to ban even these kinds of experiences.
“We did as long as we could, although it has not been an easy exercise: we needed to check locations, ensure social distances, contain costs”.
A place of Inspiration
“Promenade des Anglais, is a place of inspiration for me. I often walk here and start thinking at what to create”.
It is true: Promenade des Anglais is a special place in Nice where many people go for inspiration. Particularly early morning, calm, quietness and light create a very intimate atmosphere.
‘Ah le Zèbre’, a young and dynamic theatre association, proposes several activities promoting theatre in the Nice-area, in gardens, public squares, schools. The name comes from a big zebra he has in his living room.
People just get in and say: “Ah, a zebra!”
Thierry and his zebra
‘We are using these long weeks to prepare new cultural proposals for the summertime and schools in September. It will not be easy because theatre producers will have to schedule calendars taking into account the cultural programme that was there before pandemic: they will, most likely, re-start from there.”
But he knows people need to laugh, relax, and enjoy theatre as they used to have before COVID. He is firmly convinced that theatre also plays a vital role for children and kids.
“As soon as I can, I will go to schools to read love letters to children: they need it!”
I am so happy to see that, while this story gets published, Thierry just played “Parle moi d'Amour" as part of the ‘Department des Alpes-Marittimes’ summer cultural offer.
Thank you Thierry for showing me that you can plan your the future, you can prepare for something new, you can follow your passion, with determination and hope.
I really enjoy our chat.
Looking forward to your love letters for children, Thierry!
STORIES of HOPE. Simple stories of ordinary people that carry a message of hope, a fragment of future. I have been meeting incredible people, that transmit energy, passion, engagement. I talk to them and try to find their message of hope.