My intention is to use the simplicity of well defined, recognizable shapes to play with the viewers’ perception and to remind them that we are easily tricked.

With a background in architecture and graphic design, Venetian artist Ronni Squizzato has a passion for strong geometric shapes and kinetic art. By breaking the rules of perspective and the confinement of the standard canvas, the artist aims to evoke a sense of deception and curiosity - to draw the viewer in and soothe them with the colorful simplicity of his work.

 

INTERVIEW WITH THE ARTIST

Q. Does your background in architecture and graphic design influence your work?

A. Without doubt, the rational approach to perspective and geometry has had an influence on my interpretation of volume and space, but simultaneously, knowing what’s the canonical way of obtaining a result gave me the creative consciousness to evade what can be seen as the general boring rule.

  

Q. Your pieces often go beyond the usual shape of a canvas – do you have a specific goal in breaking these conventional boundaries?

A. My intention is to use the simplicity of well defined, recognizable shapes in contrast with an unconventional canvas space and its interaction with its surroundings to play with the viewers’ perception and to remind them that we are easily tricked, and we should observe more closely, even if it is only for a fleeting moment.

 

 

Q. How do you compose your geometric compositions?

A. I start with pencil and paper to simply sketch out a general idea, looking for the right shapes that somehow encapsulate an inner feeling or a concept; occasionally I might even end up cutting and merging two completely different sketches. I then move to my PC, where I have more freedom to experiment with color and 3D shapes; this helps me work towards something that approaches the idea I want to “extract”.

 
Q. There seems to be a playful aspect to your work – is this representative of how you view your artistic practice?

A. My work can come from cheerful fun or from dark moments and I love how simple combinations of shapes and colors can always emanate a positive vibe, regardless of how good or bad my initial mood was. Also, I, like everyone else, am affected by the pandemic; I have mood swings, and often, while working on a piece, I sink into a soothing trance. I hope my viewers will be able to feel the same and have a brief feeling of hope.

  

Q. How has your artistic practice evolved over time?

A. I started out with a very experimental, almost aimless, fooling around. But when I saw the first pieces I had put together, I understood that I was limiting myself within the usual, almost comfortable boundaries. This incited me to (metaphorically speaking) turn the tables - to get new tools and media to work with; Soon, I found that I had much more freedom of expression. This evolution hasn’t ended yet, as I am now exploring sculpture and the use of all 360 degrees of vision.

 

 

Q. What would you like your work to evoke in the viewer?

A. I always hope to momentarily disorient my viewer and then to invite them, immediately after, to see and feel the soothing, orderly simplification of my concept. My dream is to create a universal language, which maybe, one day, will communicate so efficiently with the viewer that the artworks will not even need a title.

 

 

Q. Are there any other creatives, books, movies, or music that inspire you?

A. The list would be incredibly long and diverse, but I must mention master Franco Grignani for his concepts, Paul Kremer for the colors and Darel Carey for the use of tape. Music really fuels my creativity and helps me to sink into the piece I’m working on - especially the great classical masters; recently I got fond of Bohren & der Club of Gore and Ryuichi Sakamoto.

  

Q. Could you describe your work in three words?

A. Disorienting, straight forward, vibrant.