It is no wonder why Andrea Costantini is greatly inspired by the Renaissance Era of art as he is a renaissance man himself. Andrea does it all. His images are lofty in symbolism and technical competence, and he provides his viewers with surreal depictions that weigh beautifully on thought and imagination. Andrea is living proof that art is still being pushed forward and evolving. Style.No.Chaser is fully dedicated to bringing to full view the current art vanguards to receive their due veneration.
See Andrea’s interview below.
“Art is with me all the time, when I grab a coffee, ride the metro or while I’m taking …”
Please tell us a little about yourself – your childhood, siblings, where you grew up, what you liked as a child, strange thoughts as a child/now, unique attributes, where you live now, etc.?
I was born in 1977 in Pescara (Italy) where I grew up and started a life in art and photography. I have always been curious about photography and when the Art school introduced me to the darkroom I was absolutely fascinated.
Throughout my childhood there was a camera around me. My father was a big Nikon fan and he had a huge lens collection. He spent hours taking pictures of my brother and me during our childhood. So I grew up with photography and a curiosity for the pictures.
I have lived and worked in Washington DC since 2009. The choice to live in the United States came from the desire to taste and test new horizons. The multi-ethnicity and contrasts within the US has given a new invigoration to my art. All this has been a source of new and exciting inspiration. The US is open to the world of art and to new perspectives; this was fundamental to my decision to continue my career in the USA.
How do you describe your form of art?
I see my art as a mix of Surrealism and Papier collé (collage) with a touch of renaissance.
What does your art mean to you?
Life. No other word/s can describe what my art means to me. Art is with me all the time, when I grab a coffee, ride the metro or while I’m taking inspiration from an art museum. Art is always with me. Art is the philosophy of my life and a continuous stimulant for my mind.
I think of myself as a self-educated individual with strong habits and great tenacity. My goals have been achieved in small steps. I alternate between inspiration and method and my journey is still evolving.
Your art is a great combination of architecture, nature, anatomy and interesting angles – What tools do you use for the creation of your work and how did you create your personal art style?
I take pictures of faces and then I modify them by adding images, like in a montage. I love playing with lights and shadows, tones and textures.
My imaginary worlds are a mix of various architectures, objects and animals. I use the most advanced technologies to express myself, but paper and pencil always accompany the birth of my projects: sketches and notes turn into thoughts and images. I think my work gives one the power to escape the constraints of social and economic differences and break the limits of space and time.
Another source of inspiration for me is the majesty of architecture – I’m fascinated by what woman/man has managed to build over the centuries.
What is the worst critique you have ever received about your work? What is the best compliment that you have received about your work?
To be sincere I never received a very disruptive critique about my work. Fortunately, people always find some sort of inspiration from my work. The best compliment was from a young American art critic. He said that I had invented the “New Surrealism”. Maybe this compliment is too immense, but it was nice to hear!
Which artist/s do you look up to the most?
I love artists such as Salvador Dali, Yves Tanguy, Pablo Picasso or Georges Braque. Renaissance also has an important place in my artwork’s composition.
Since I am also the editor and founder of ‘Photographize Magazine’, I’m in contact with the best contemporary artists around the world. I’m fascinated by all of them and their ability to express art in all its forms. There are too many to list.
Since Style.No.Chaser is a men’s lifestyle magazine, what attributes/items/clothing /etc. do you think define a man?
Definitely accessories! Colored socks, cool wallets, a nice hat or a pocket watch. This is what define a men’s personality and distinguishes him from the masses.
What is your personal life philosophy?
‘How can I best get up the mountain?’ — Just climb upwards and don’t think about it! (Friedrich Nietzsche)
Who dead or alive, celebrity or not, artist or not, would you like to go on a two week road trip with and why?
I would love to do a couple of weeks in Paris in the late nineteenth century along with Picasso, Modigliani, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and many others, dressed with my nowadays clothes and my modern sneakers, drinking wine in the famous Parisian café in Montmartre and talking with them about how art will evolve.
What is your favorite movie of all time and why?
‘Back to the Future’, directed by Robert Zemeckis. In my thoughts I’ve always been like Marty McFly. Time travel has always been one of my favorite dreams.
How can people learn more about your current and upcoming works?
Through my Facebook and my website. You can also view interesting work on Photographize’s Facebook Page.
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