Metal surfaces, shiny resin, and bright bold colors are the trademark style of Giuseppe Portella’s abstract artwork. Born in Italy, Giuseppe’s art has become popular all over the world and gained much recognition at ArtExpo 2018 in New York City.
Giuseppe became interested in art as a young boy and although he is completely self-taught, his original techniques are gaining acclaim. His art is refined, stylish, versatile, and yet still experimental and evolving. His resin creations have proven to be especially popular and are in private collections all over the world.
Giuseppe’s art has won many awards and has been widely exhibited all over the world. Giuseppe recently discussed his art and more via an exclusive interview.
Creations, style, and ArtExpo
Meagan Meehan (MM): You were inspired to make art from the time you were a boy, so did your parents introduce you to art at a young age?
Giuseppe Portella (GP): My parents have humble origins, have no economic possibilities and are never occupied with art. My love for art is an innate passion and the result of my totally personal research.
MM: How did you break into the art industry and get your creations exhibited globally?
GP: I waited many years before entering the art market, I preferred to express myself in total freedom without contamination or advice from people in the industry.
Let's say that in 2011 I saw a personal and institutional exhibition, in which I forecast fifty of my luminescent works on light after having prepared myself for five years. After 2015 I started to exhibit with the galleries, until arriving at the New York exhibition of that year. In recent years I had already sold some works in Russia, France, United States, and Dubai.
MM: Your work blends metal, paint, resin and other materials, so how did you come up with this unique style?
GP: In my artistic research I have always experimented with materials of various kinds, with particular attention to contemporary subjects that could photograph our time and our society. I believe that steel, the holographic elements and the resin in particular, represent well this historical period.
Their union also gives a recognizable character to my works
MM: What is it about resin that you like so much and why do you think the art in this series is so popular?
GP: Resin is a wonderful material, with which I have realized practically all my works in the last twenty years. It is totally different from all the classical materials used in the art; it is transparent, shining and gives three-dimensionality to the works, making them sculptural. Being liquid and remaining in this state for hours, you can only use it horizontally and this changes the type of work and perspective when you use it. Finally, I believe that resin is a contemporary, plastic and innovative material, and art always needs to communicate and to make people understand what time we are living by approaching new materials.
MM: You recently showed work at ArtExpo in New York City, it’s a very important show so how did you get into it?
GP: Yes, I had the pleasure of showing three of my works of the new OloLux cycle at ArtExpo in New York, thanks to the Wikiarte Gallery of Bologna - Italy - who believed in my work and selected me for this important showcase
Reactions, colors, and exhibitions
MM: What kinds of reactions do people have to your work and are you especially proud of any piece?
GP: This question is difficult to answer.Each of us sees things in his own way and there is nothing more questionable than a work of art. I must say that insiders, gallery owners, critics, collectors, appreciate my work, but I think there is still much to do and, answering the second part of your question, I think my most beautiful work is the one I still have to achieve.
MM: What colors do you like using the most and why?
GP: I love blue because it represents water and sky. Sooner or later in the future I hope to be able to do an exhibition entirely dedicated to blue works. In New York this year I presented three totally blue and steel works.
MM: Where do you hope your art will be exhibited within the next ten years?
GP: I hope like all the artists, that my works can find space in the museums, so that everyone can see them in a historical context and contextualized. I would still like to exhibit my work in Asia, I'm already working on it for next year, of course I would like to return to New York, too, which I consider a city very attentive to contemporary art.
