London Detours

Anna Caruso

Hello to all my followers,

It’s been a great few months for London Detours. We have had some amazing feedback from our Street Art Detour but more importantly what has been brilliant is meeting such creative and inspirational individuals.

Since the interview with Jedi in our last interview blog we have had such a great response. So, it’s only right I showcase another....... Enjoy.

Anna Caruso recently came on one of my Street Art Detours and while I was talking about Invader & Vhils she pointed to two canvas paintings hanging from the wall. I was honest with her and said I didn’t know who the artist was as they had turned up over night. She knew exactly who the artist was, it was her.......

THE INTERVIEW: Anna Caruso
Where do you come from? Whats youre background?
I was born in Italy, near Milan. It’s where I grew up, studied and
where I’ve been living.

I’ve been drawing since I was a kid, but when it came to choose a path
after secondary school, I couldn’t make up my mind between the two
passions that inspired me: the Classic culture and Arts.

While attending the high school specializing in classical studies, I
was taking drawing classes with an Art teacher. After getting a
diploma in classical studies, I attended the l'Accademia di Belle Arti
di Bergamo (specialization in painting and restoration) and in 2004 I
got graduated.

Even though I never thought that getting a degree was essential, I do
believe that getting the chance to learn, experiment and study is
simply priceless when Art becomes the foundation of your life.

My inspiration lead me to many artistic environments, from big events
to the streets where the Street Culture blossoms.


How old were you when you first started painting?
I’ve always felt the primal desire to draw, mould, redefine everything
with my own hands. I think I created my first work of art at the age
of six, when I did not have any knowledge about techniques or theories
of fine arts. I started painting with developed skills during my
studies in High School from the age of sixteen.



What is inspires you to paint?
I’m inspired by what surrounds me: I read, travel and photograph any
striking aspect of the human condition. I’m attracted by men’s
creative power.

I get the utmost from any experience, trying to put it into my work.
For an artist not only Art is communicating one’s vision of the world,
but also one’s inner vision.


What other artists are you influenced by?
From the theoretical and historical point of view my work is inspired
by both Pop Art and Dadaism, because the everyday objects become new
concepts; I also followed surrealist's poetry and Frances Bacon's
poetry, whatching the new features of oneiric ideas and introspective
views without forgetting the global or universal picture of the world
surrounding me. I love Italian Renaissance as much as I love English
Romanticism.I also deeply admire Bansky, an contemporary artist
capable of inspiring artists and everyone lucky enough to catch a
glimpse of one of his works.



Why is art important to you?
Art is my life, what I am and what I want to be.
The creation that can speak through an artistic expression gives me
the chance to play with reality, studying its dynamics and
correspondences. This makes me the protagonist of the life process.
Communicating an idea through colors, brushes and canvas is amazing
and it allows me to live a new experience every time.


You came on one of our famous Street Art Walking Tours, what Street Artist did you like the most? And Why?
London Detours is the best Art tour in London: I have discovered a lot
of artists and artworks that I couldn’t have discovered by myself
otherwise. I appreciated a lot of Roa's work, he’s one of my favorite
Street artists. Through his twitchy lines and color contrasts he
brings disturbing animals to life, who seem capable of whispering
directly to the observer’s soul. I also admire the talent of Jimmy C,
it’s amazing how he manipulates the colors while deconstructing every
brushstroke thus creating marvelous faces. Last but not least there is
Mobstr sharp, satirical but most of all realistic.

While on the Street Art Walking Tour we saw some of your art work hanging up, can you tell us what was the idea behind putting it on the street?

My idea about Street Art is basically founded on two principles: Art
for Everybody, Art of Everybody. Art is, first of all, communication
and dialogue between the artist and the public. I therefore decided to
hang up some of my paintings that could interact with people in the
instant of their creation and in the moment in which they would have
been seen. The trail of pieces leads to the global vision of the
painting and the observer is allowed to take with him or her the bit
that he or she prefers: the action is completely spontaneous and free.
The search around the Londoner zone known as Brick Lane becomes the
progressive discovery of the one and only piece of art that brings the
spectator to the Wonderful World of Alice in Wonderland, that I myself
have reproduced and redefined in a contemporary key.

What have you enjoyed most about being in London?
London is an amazing city with a huge range of activities, it offers
culture, history, amusement, shows and musicals. Arts and
entertainment are in every corner, it's difficult to choose just one
dimension. I loved the people and the multiethnic culture that make
London full of life. The free admission in the museums should be
adopted in every Country: it makes Art accessible at any level, that’s
the actual revolution.
I was particularly impressed by the freedom of the artistic expression
in Brick Lane, I just loved the majesty of Saint Paul or the peaceful
and calm atmosphere of Little Venice
A life time wouldn’t be enough to actually know and love London: every
time I get back there I find a new reason to love it!

Whats next for you?

I'm presently working on the 'Looking for a Green Rabbit' project and
once completed I wish to present it in a personal art exhibition in
Milan. Soon I will be part of an exhibition known as Arte Accessibile
Milano 2012 and other events part of a show called Fuori Salone
Milanese; besides I'm preparing new sketches and paintings that are
going to become part of my personal Street Art performance in London
in June 2012.

If people wanted to find out more about you how can they get in touch?
Everybody can follow me on facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anna-Caruso/140120296096130

on twitter:

https://twitter.com/#!/Anna_C8

on my website: www.picart.it

and:

http://www.equilibriarte.net/site/AnnaCaruso


The address of my Art Gallery in Italy:

Studio d’Arte Picart
Via Verga 4/a
24047 – Treviglio (Bg)
Italy

Tel. +39 0363344795

info@picart.it