Luca Serasini

When you ask Luca Serasini if he believes that art can change one's way of thinking, his answer is positive, we can constantly change our way of seeing things. This is even the personal philosophy he adopts when he creates his constellations and gravitational waves; his installations show the evolution of his views and interests over time.

Luca has always been an art lover; self-taught, he flourishes in painting and later in music, as well as being encouraged by his entourage to take the direction of an artistic career. But concerned about the financial stability of his family, he puts the idea aside and chooses to study electronics and editorial graphics. In this ever-expanding field, technological developments will guarantee work for a long time, and there will be no shortage of jobs, so his future is secure. As soon as he finishes his studies, he finds work; he mainly does data visualisation in the field of science, especially for general purposes. Today, he still works in a multimedia computer graphics laboratory, and collaborates with various scientists.

We are in the 1990s, at the beginning of Luca's professional career, when he discovers electronics; he learns to play the electric guitar and enjoys it for a while with his band, but the instrument does not fully satisfy his creative needs. So he takes up painting, a practice in which he can deepen his personal expression. He begins by using fairly classical mediums and techniques such as watercolour and oil. At the time he does not like contemporary art because he does not understand its interest. In 1996, he participates in his first group exhibition and presents his work to the general public for the first time. It is a difficult step to take, but Luca takes it in his stride; already accustomed to coordinating scientific conferences, he transfers his professional skills to the artistic sphere and organises his own exhibitions.

In 2003, Luca reads a book on contemporary art that a friend had recommended to him; however insignificant, this reading totally changes his perspective on the subject. He discovers his new inspirations, Christo and Jeanne Claude, Bill Viola, Robert Smithson and many others. He understands the meaning of their work, from the use of specific materials, to the general creative process. He sees the complexity of the different aspects of an artwork, and decides to experiment with art himself. He immediately sets to work and in 2004 presents a first video art installation in which he presents the sea from different angles. It appears powerful and violent, a metaphor for waves of emotions, and whose only container is the screen that imprisons it.

It is also during this period that he travels to Greece, more precisely to Crete. Land of Zeus and the Minotaur, he discovers the sacred culture of the bull, a symbol he loves and is fascinated by. Luca travels, experiments with new ways of expressing his art, and does not forget his initial inspirations, the sea and nature. He tries photography, graphic novels, collages and interactive visual installations.

The work on constellations and Land Art seems to be a logical continuation of the story, and he will produce them all over Europe. He has no trouble finding his subjects as the selection is vast; all the constellations and stars are named after Greek, Roman or Arab mythological figures. Moreover, the culture that revolves around the theme is rich so it becomes prevalent in his practice for several years. But out of desire and need to know more, Luca takes an interest in their scientific dimension, seeking to understand the formation of stars, and the existence of phenomena that are still in the domain of scientific theory. Every drawing or graphic resulting from a space mission becomes an inspiration for the artist.

The next step for him would be to explore the origins of the cosmos. Because one thing is certain, his work always converges on nature. Luca lives near the sea, if not in front of it during his childhood, and remembers helping his father in the vegetable garden; as a teenager, he didn't like to spend much time there, but with age, he has learned to cultivate these precious moments, and to appreciate working in the open air.

Land Art turned out to be much more than a simple medium, it is also a way for him to live his art in osmosis with his love for nature.

Luca Serasini is far from having taken the classic path of an artist, let alone that of a research artist. It is his open-mindedness and his willingness to learn new things that have guided him along this road.