Interview with Luciana Mariano
NAIVA BRATISLAVA brings for you an amazing interview with the artist Luciana Mariano from Finland, the winner of the STORY AWARD 2024.
- What was your path to art?
I was born in a family of artists that didn't know what art was. My mom was a painter, uncles and aunts. My grandma used to make figurines of clay, beautiful naïve sculptures, her brother was the first naïve artist we know of in our family. People used to mock him, because he didn't know how to paint, and yet, he painted naïve style all his life. Since then, every generation has at least one naïve painter from the cradle, in my generation I was the one. And it was an easy start because to paint in peace my mother would give me colors and paper to play. My uncle was a brilliant naïf painter, but died very young at 32 just as his paintings were starting to sell like hot cakes. Art was not considered a profession in my family and I went to university trying to get a "decent" career. I swear, I tried. I always painted but just as a hobby, I was as bad as my grand-uncle, I didn't know how to paint. But I needed too, it was my decompression from a very unpleasant commercial career. I always destroyed my paintings after finishing them, I was too shy to show it. In 2008 I painted faster then I destroyed and I had my first exhibition in Brazil. Since then I never stopped and I never discarded my paintings gas again. This year (2024) I got my first exhibition in two important museums in Finland and it was the first time I exhibited in Slovakia. Naiva Bratislava was the first prize in my career. I am very happy and honoured.
- How do you perceive naive art? What makes it unique for you?
Naive art is still just something I need to do for my peace, health and sanity. I have too many paintings inside of me and they neve cease to appear. Now I understand it is art and it has value, but deep inside it feels like an extension of who I am that needs to come out. It is urgent because every time I finish one, it feels that ten more were created inside of my mind. It's almost a curse… but also a precious blessing. To understand my work the viewer should always question it: Who? What? Why?… then it will sure start speaking to them. My art is unique because of the soft political and sociological critique in it. I question life and society a lot, and so does my work.
- Do you have a favorite themes and motives that you return to in your work?
I paint everything that crosses my soul. Stories that people tell, images that meet my eyes while riding on a bus, happy and sad feelings, many images found in dreams. I paint mostly indoor scenes and stories. There is always a little secret in them (sometimes that even I don't know the answer!) and the stories almost always can be interpreted and understood in many ways, they are open narratives and the elements in the painting contribute to explaining the plots. The returning themes would be the female universe and indoor scenes.
- Where can we see more of your work? Whether online or live.
My work can be seen in my blog: www.lucianamariano.wordpress.com.
from there you can see my past exhibition and many times the upcoming ones too.
- Do you have any advice for a person who would like to try painting?
Yes! Don't be ashamed of it as I was. There is no right or wrong when it comes to art. Don't expect approval, or encouragement or to become rich out of it. But listen to your necessity to create. Listen to the things you want to say but you don't know how to choose the words. Painting has the power of speaking what you cannot say. Don't give up on what makes you peaceful. Remember: if you want to see the sea, you often have to overcome long distances and some times even climb some mountains.
Thank you very much for interview.
Photo: Luciana Mariano archive