Capolago, 2022
Lucia Bergamini

Artist Statement:

Why do you only paint food?

Food has always played a central role in my work. I love good food and wine; to me they are one of life's greatest pleasures, and I like to celebrate them in my paintings. I aspire to prolonging those quiet moments in which we find ourselves in front of a fabulous plate of pasta al pesto or a fragrant cup of coffee with a croissant and we almost forget our surroundings because our entire being is filled with relish and anticipation.

Why hyperrealism?

I have always sought to capture reality and its tridimensional quality in my painting, so as to share with the viewer that magic which inspires our imagination, the feeling we experience when we look into a cake shop window. However there is also an ironic and light side to my character, and it too comes into my work. Indeed over the years what I do has evolved into a new kind of hyperrealism with a touch of comic strip quality that I like to call hyperrealistic pop; it is immediately appealing, has a touch of irony that we can all identify with, and it leaves the completion of the work to the imagination. 
In my art I try to create a rapport with its viewers, giving them a moment of carefree and soothing enjoyment, reminding them how wonderful life can be.

I use oil on canvas and only use primary colours, which I mix to obtain all of the shades that I need. It creates deeper and more brilliant colours. I use Rembrandt oil colours, which are made using natural pigments that ensure that they will keep their brightness over time. The canvases are produced in Italy and stapled at the back, so that the edge of the canvas is part of the picture.

Please visit my YOUTUBE channel!
/channel/UC3NgUyKUdooVdwviAoIHFuQ

Education:

What is your background?

I was born in 1984 in Turin, and I now live in Asti, which is the heartland of good Italian wine. From the window of my studio I can admire the rolling landscape that is typical of this area, and which, every morning, fills me with the desire to celebrate the fruits of this wonderful land.
My grandfather was a landscape painter, and I was picking up pencils and paper from an early age. He often came to look after my siblings and me, and I always looked forward to those occasions because I knew we were going to spend the afternoon drawing.
I went to a secondary school that specialises in art, and at the same time studied music at the Conservatoire in Turin where I graduated with a diploma in double bass. I have had various jobs but I always kept painting, until I finally realised that I had to spend more time and energy on what I truly love doing. So I ended up investing in myself.

Exhibitions:

2020 Article on the magazine les-ludiques.com:
2020 Interview with a food painter on yourtravelrecipe.com:
2019 Florence Biennale
2017 Solo exhibition Gallery “Art is Light" Asti, Italy
2016 Joins Ugallery 
2015 Exhibition “Arte Bagutta" Milano, Italy
2015 Exhibition “Restaurant Al San Giovanni" Asti, Italy
2015 Exhibition “Carlo Alberto" Torino, Italy
2015 (from) Joins Zatista Gallery
2014 Interview LA REPUBBLICA - "per digerire bene ci vuole l'occhio"

2014 (from) Joins Saatchi Art Gallery
2014 Exhibition “La Rue Des Artistes" Torino, Italy
2014 Exhibition “Arte sotto i Portici" Torino, Italy
2014 Exhibition Lingotto Fiere “Expocasa" Torino, Italy
2014 Exhibition “Piazza delle Erbe" Mantova, Italy
2014 Exhibition “Abano le Terme dell'Arte" Abano Terme, Italy
2014 Competition 3° prize “Abano le Terme dell'Arte" Abano Terme, Italy
2014 Exhibition “Arte sotto i Portici" Bologna, Italy
2014 Exhibition “Sestri come Montmartre" Sestri, Italy
2013 Exhibition “I Portici dell'Arte" Torino, Italy
2013 Exhibition “San Carlo" Torino, Italy
2013 Exhibition “La Rue Des Artistes" Torino, Italy
2013 Solo Exhibition “San Marco" Cocconato, Italy
2012 Solo Exhibition “Al Castello" Mango, Italy
2002 Group exhibition “Attilio Aloisi" Pianezza, Italy
2002 Competition 1°prize “Attilio Aloisi" Pianezza, Italy

Professional/Teaching Experience:

In 2013 I started exhibiting throughout northern Italy, both individually and with other artists, and I now work with various galleries in London and the USA through which I sell my paintings all over the world. My work will be on show at the 2019 Florence Biennale, with new material from this year, together with something surprising, and entirely new...

Tags:

photorealism, still life, realistic, painting food, food art, wine art