PATRIZIA CASAGRANDA | Expanding Boundaries | An Exclusive Interview

Expanding Boundaries | Female Empowerment
By Patrizia Casagranda

The woman is a constantly recurring motif in the works of Patrizia Casagranda, whether as a princess, mythological figure, Indian garbage collector or representative of a particular faith. Whereas to begin with fairy tale themes with symbolic references appeared in the portraits, now the great global themes of our time are implemented, accompanying the content as a background. The examination of the Indian garbage girls from the Kabelia cast reveals their demands for Equality, justice and tolerance. Likewise, these demands can be identified in the series ‘Belief’, in which the artist deals with the contents and messages of the great world religions.

PATRIZIA CASAGRANDA | Expanding Boundaries

The woman is a constantly recurring motif in the works of Patrizia Casagranda, whether as a princess, mythological figure, Indian garbage collector or representative of a particular faith. Whereas to begin with fairy tale themes with symbolic references appeared in the portraits, now the great global themes of our time are implemented, accompanying the content as a background. The examination of the Indian garbage girls from the Kabelia cast reveals their demands for Equality, justice and tolerance. Likewise, these demands can be identified in the series ‘Belief’, in which the artist deals with the contents and messages of the great world religions.

The fascination of opposites runs like a thread through Patrizia Casagranda’s current work. The portrayed women enchant the viewer with their beauty, which is counteracted by the harsh reality of life symbolically projected in the background. Typographic fragments are used as an essential stylistic device, indicating the artist’s training as a graduate designer. Not dissimilar to the principle of collage, the countless layers that constitute the works make the background visible, becoming particularly captivating due to their distant effect. In contrast, in the close-up view, the grid points shift into focus as a central, creative element. Patrizia Casagranda works with colors that she mixes from pigments with plaster, whose luminosity is immense, thus, contributing significantly to the effect of her motifs.

In her recent works, stories are sometimes placed like an additional layer between the background and the motif – for example, a bitten apple in large format as an indirect reference to the Fall of Man. The bite into the apple is given a larger contextual framework than merely a ‘prop’ of the biblical story in which the first human couple actually plays the central role. The artist shifts the focus and directs it to the object of desire as a symbol of the lowliness of human action and, at the same time, makes a topical reference to today’s digital form of seduction through the Apple advertising message ‘think different’ hidden in the apple.
In recent years, the Stuttgart-born, Krefeld-based artist has frequently made ‘her’ garbage collectors from the Indian snake caste, the Kabelia, the subject of her work. Since 2016, she has been supporting a social project in India, however, under the condition that the five children (whose mother had just weighed 30 kg) go to school. For the Kabelia caste, school attendance is not typical, and now the career aspiration of one of the children Patrizia Casagranda portrayed is all the more atypical: he wants to become a doctor. In this respect, this work fits well into her more recent “Empowerment” series, which aims to help strengthen people’s self-determination and autonomy.
On the large, landscape-format portrait of a woman with a pensive look, one finds the quote ‘The power to create happiness!’ twice because happiness, especially in patriarchal societies, is not a category that would be attributed to women in particular.

It becomes clear again and again that Patrizia Casagranda creates complex structures in her works through the use of everyday materials and, thus, also clarifies the contradiction between idealized beauty, the desire for self-determination, and the problems of our globally networked society through her unique layer technique.

• Opposites attract Prof. Dr.Chris Gerbing, Karlsruhe. About the works of Patrizia Casagranda

An Exclusive Interview With Patrizia Casagranda
By Ariel SU

Patrizia Casagranda has only been working as a freelance artist since 2016. Since then, her unique work has wildly succeeded and made waves in the latest World Art Dubai (WAD) event, where Florence Biennale exhibited and represented her work.
It is a pleasure to feature an exclusive with the rising star of the contemporary art world.
Previously, she had completed her design studies, focusing on illustration, with distinction in 2002 and subsequently worked as a graphic designer for Günther Uecker and Markus Lüpertz, among others.

Words and typography, in general, structure and colorfulness, are the main concepts that play a significant role in her artworks, a fact she herself attributes to her first profession as a designer:

“The fact that I enjoy typography can be seen above all in the backgrounds of my works.”

Art Market Magazine: Thank you for this interview, Patrizia. Your art attracted a lot of attention at the latest World Art Dubai (WAD) event, which took place on March 9-12, 2023, and you also gained good sales of your work conducted by the Florence Biennale’s fantastic representation.
What can you tell us about the beginning of your artistic journey? What made you shift your life from an art director and a graphic designer to a full-time professional artist?

Patrizia Casagranda: Many thanks for this exciting interview. Shifting my professional life was out of necessity. I had lost all my clients to a large agency and had to reorient myself professionally. Since childhood, I have painted; my neighbor was an oil painter and gave me lessons every Saturday, and it was always a passion of mine to design and create.
I am very grateful for the shift in my life and for the support of the people around me.

Art Market Magazine: Let’s discuss your academic studies and, later on, your work as an art director and book designer. Do you find those studying years the basis of your artistic development knowledge and abilities?

Patrizia Casagranda: My studies have clearly influenced me. The technical know-how and the conception combined with painting make my unique style. I applied my technical knowledge and used it in my paintings. Also, my marketing Know-How helped me to market myself. So It’s a combination of all of the above and undoubtedly that my studying years were most helpful.

Art Market Magazine: Your art is very unique. Based mainly on a sophisticated composition, grids, a massive amount of color, pieces of jute, fabric, paper or cardboard, and typography. When did you start developing this technique? Can you describe the workflow process from the point of the idea to the final outcome?

Patrizia Casagranda: I found my way of painting through history, more specifically through the Roman story Cupid and Psyche: “After all, the paintings in Pompeii can be described as street art of antiquity. I was fascinated by the aging process of these paintings and transferred them to our time with my own technique.” I make a wall on the wall. Layers. It is very important to me to experiment to improve the technique and never stand still.

Art Market Magazine: Where the inspiration comes from? Do you have some artists influential on your work?

Patrizia Casagranda: My inspiration comes from many fields, including architecture, literature, and history. Some artists can inspire me deeply. I love the structures of MANOLO VALDÉS and Banksy’s social engagement ideas. The everyday objects of Warhol, the grids of Robert Rauschenberg, and the Pointillismus of George Seurat. I mixed them all.

Art Market Magazine: What is the role of typography in your work? Are you trying to express a more profound message, or is its function mainly for visual use?

Patrizia Casagranda: I love typography and send messages with it, although usually, I only use Fragments. I love to provoke feelings and back them up with type fragments. I use the speech of “the great dictator of Charlie Chaplin. The power to create happiness. For example, I had the quote in the painting exhibited at the latest art fair of World Art Dubai- “Kick the door open and let the change in.”
My last series was the Empowerment series. It is meant to show strong women, and the quotes are meant to make you stronger and more confident in your everyday life. Embrace your power, and the world will change.

Art Market Magazine: Your work is exhibited in countless galleries around the globe, including dozens of galleries in Germany, along with representation in Zürich, Luxembourg, Paris, and New York.
It is well known and clear that an essential part of the artist’s work is to invest energy in the marketing and management level with the galleries. Do you handle it yourself?

Patrizia Casagranda: I have a great team who do many things for me and give me great support in marketing. My galleries also support me, for example, the Florence Biennale with this article.

Art Market Magazine: What advice do you have in the marketing and management area for young artists searching for the right way to start the sales of their works of art?

Patrizia Casagranda: It’s challenging to compete in the art market. The competition is tremendous. Only 1% of artists can live from art. Therefore, the quality of the works and your unique style plays the most critical role, and you should show your art and publish it constantly on social media.

Art Market Magazine: Since 2016, you have reached a very high level of exposure, sales, and a respectable position in the art world. What is your goal? Where would you like to see yourself 5-10 years from now?

Patrizia Casagranda: The development of my artistic style, technique, and concepts is always in the foreground. I love to provoke feelings with my art. That is the most important thing for me.
I love to find new concepts, new color combinations, and materials. Everything else will arise.
A customer at my latest exhibition was so touched by the works that she cried. This is an excellent award for me, apart from the awards I have actually received. The GoldenArtAward and Excellence in Arts Award – World Association of Visual Arts awarded to 476 artists of the Florence Biennale. I will be thrilled to see my art being shown in Museums, and it would be great if they spread my messages. I would be delighted if things continue developing well as they are now.

Art Market Magazine: Much of your work presents female figures and portraits of women. What is the main philosophy behind these figures? Do you take photos of these women for the creation of your art?

Patrizia Casagranda: I deal with the major global issues of our time, which accompany the content as background. The observation of the Indian garbage girls from the cast Kabelia reveals their demands for Equality, justice, and tolerance. The materials reveal a conscious use of our daily resources, as I only use recycled materials.
Likewise, these demands can be seen in the series ‘Belief,’ in which I deal with the contents and messages of the great world religions. Every religion has the same values at its core. No war, because of religion is necessary. Rulers instrumentalize faith.
Sometimes I take photos of women that fascinate me; sometimes, I make collages of photos that inspire me.

Art Market Magazine: Where can we see your art displayed in 2023? Where can we purchase your art?

Patrizia Casagranda: I have some solo shows in Lausanne, Zurich, Cologne, Wiesbaden, Mallorca, and Kunsthalle Kühlungsborn. I am shown at many art fairs in America and Germany. The following art fair is Palm Beach modern and contemporary in Miami, Artexpo New York, and Context Art Miami in November. Art Karlsruhe is a big art fair in Germany. My work will be exhibited at the XIV Edition of the Florence Biennale event, which will take place on the 14 – 22 October 2023. More to the end of the year, I will present my work in a London-based gallery featuring my work of Kate Moss; I also make icons that fascinate me.

See the full interview article in Art Market Magazine Issue #79