Interview: Marco Santaniello - Pop Artist

 

Marco Santaniello is an international Graphic Artist that specialises in Pop Art. He creates his pieces by transferring his digital art onto large fabric canvases. Marco primarily focuses on recreating busy landscapes of cities across the globe. 

Born in Cosenza, South Italy, Marco obtained a degree in the Science of Communication. Marco is an avid traveller and has lived in Brazil, South Korea and China - to name a few. His unique style has garnered attention in art communities all across the world, and he has since exhibited his work in various international galleries. One of Marco's most noteworthy exhibitions was a prestigious art fair in Taipei, Taiwan, where he lived for 2 years. I was lucky enough to get connected with the mightily-talented Marco during my internship in Zhuhai, China, in August of 2017.

S: Although this is not necessarily always the case, artists sometimes use their work to project a specific message or theme. What philosophies do you wish to convey through your artwork, if any?
M: Well, sometimes artworks are just artworks and do not always have a message or purpose. I, however, do have few strong points that I display within my work. Firstly, we as humans are basically the same and should be open to one another. There should be no boundaries nor differences of any kind held towards any human being. 

Additionally, if people stopped looking at their phones all the time and pay attention, they would be able to see that there is beauty everywhere. Also, in a society that pushes you to conform and to be a consumer, being yourself is the hardest thing you can do. But we should always push ourselves to do this.

S: From creating your own clothing line, to throwing street fashion shows in London, Paris and Milan, you live and breathe art in every aspect of your life. What have the industries of fashion and art shown you about individuality and self-expression?
M: Yes, but that is now part of my past, back during the very beginning of my creative process. Nowadays, I think that fashion and art do not really have a lot in common. Both worlds are heading towards a business tag style which I find rather annoying.

S: Your work incorporates daring colours and encapsulates the culture of pop art. Why did you choose pop art as your preferred medium?
M: I did not really choose it on purpose, it just grew on me. Usually when you hear of pop art, you think of the same famous artists, but my idea of pop art is “popular” art: easy to understand for all walks of life. As an artist, I am also always available to talk to and I keep in touch with people that buy or appreciate what I do.

S: I understand that you have organised street fashion shows in London, Paris and Milan, and have designed your own clothing line. What have the industries of fashion and art shown you about individuality and self-expression?
M: That is now part of my past, back during the very beginning of my creative process. Nowadays, I think that fashion and art do not really have a lot in common. Both worlds are heading towards a business tag style which I find rather annoying.

S: How do you try to push social boundaries through your sometimes satirical pieces of art? Why is it important to do this?
M: I think that mass media, technology, large corporations and institutions try to make people live like zombies, which limits our self expression. I try to stop this by waking them up with funny yet meaningful artworks. It is very important to push social and political boundaries in art; and this is exactly what my satirical artworks do. Also I believe technology is making people more emotionally distant and afraid of one another. Wake up please!

S: Apart from your own creative ideas, are there any other artists that you have taken inspiration from?
M: I started to have feelings for Andy Warhol’s pop art, but this did not last long! After living in New York for 3 years and learning more about what he stood for by getting in touch with people that knew him, I stopped caring for him after a while. 

These days, I am totally focused on my way of art and my life as I break through the art world step by step. I aim to showcase my work for an audience that spans worldwide, which is why I live like a globe trotter. In present days, the only inspirations I take are from myself and from what my brain records during my own life and travels.

S: Which cities in China have you visited, and has the Chinese culture, fashion and architecture impacted your work in any way?
M: Despite China having some bureaucratic ideals I find irritating, I must say China is the best country I have ever experienced. The people, places and history, it all amazes me. I lived in Beijing, where I had a solo exhibition in the 798 Art District in 2015. I was lucky enough to see the beautiful city of Shanghai. 

I also just had my first Museum Solo exhibition in the Yiwu City Museum from May to June of this year. Wherever I go, I always try to absorb as much life experience as possible. So now I will always have a part of China’s heart inside of me. I cannot wait to explore more cities and start art projects all over the Asian continent in future years.

S: Final question! what has been your proudest moment in your career so far?
M: A few come to mind. My first solo exhibition took place in 2013 at the Chelsea Art District in Manhattan, New York. In 2015 I worked in Seoul, Daejeon, Porto Alegre and Beijing where I partook in four solo exhibitions. I then collaborated with worldwide fashion brand Belstaff in Milan in 2016, and this year I have had my first solo museum exhibition in Yiwu. 

My pop art is now part of two museums: Yiwu City Museum and and MACRS, a contemporary art museum in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Recognition of my work increases by the year, and I look forward to more opportunities in the future.