En la obra del estadounidense Victor Grasso conviven armoniosamente la naturaleza y la figura femenina, en composiciones llenas de luz y belleza construidas en base a narrativas teatralizadas que juegan con la mitología y las tradiciones.
Un artículo en dos partes (la primera en español y la segunda en inglés), con una amplia selección de sus obras y reflexiones del artista sobre algunas de ellas extraidas de diversas entrevistas.
In the work of American artist Victor Grasso, nature and the female figure coexist harmoniously, in compositions full of light and beauty built on the basis of theatricalized narratives that play with mythology and traditions.
A two-part article (the first one in Spanish and the second in English), with a wide selection of his works and reflections of the artist on some of them extracted from various interviews.
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Victor Grasso
(Cape May Court House, Nueva Jersey, EE.UU./ NJ, USA, 1977-)
Victor Grasso
Victor Grasso is a self-taught American figurative painter born in 1977 in New Jersey.
Since he was a child he was interested in art. He wanted to be a comic book artist, visited museums and admired the work of great painters.
He began his approach to art by working for a company that produced murals for properties and businesses in Atlantic City. At the same time, he painted his pictures at home, with the hope of one day having a show. He opened his own mural company, and at the age of 21 he presented his first exhibition.
«I suppose I've always been an artist. The earliest drawing I have is from when I was two -- it's a human looking thing sitting in a chair over another human looking thing in a cage. Growing up my dream was to be a comic book artist. I drew characters and super heroes all day and I idolized the comic artists of the nineties. But things changed when my sixth grade art teacher asked me "What are you interested in?" My response was "Death and Animals." The next day she came in with a torn out page of an art book with Peter Paul Rubens' "Prometheus Bound" on it. I was blown away by that painting -- it never left me. But it was another seven years before I picked up a paintbrush, after I graduated high school. Instead of college I acquired a job painting for a mural company in Atlantic City with a portfolio full of drawings of monsters and goats. Within two years I started taking on commissions of my own and painted every day for four years. But commission work was not for me. So, every free chance I had I was working on my personal work. In 2007 I curated an exhibition of my work in my home town of Cape May, NJ in a giant church that was converted into luxury condos. I think I sold one painting but the turnout was huge. That same year a gallery opened in Cape May and asked if I would show. My first show was lackluster but my second show, in 2008, was really successful and since then I have been able to focus on my work and show throughout the country.» (4)
"El erizo / The Urchin", óleo sobre panel / oil on board, 16" x 18", 2017
"El ascenso de Nimrod / Nimrod Ascending", óleo sobre lino / oil on linen, 38" x 60", 2019
«I grew up on the shore, so the sea seems to be a constant theme, but I was never pleased with the art that I saw growing up, local art that was around me, the representation of the shore and the beach it was very bland and banal to me, just snow fences and seashore scapes and seashells. I wanted to search for something different, so I've gon on the direction of a whether it's draping a woman in an octopus or telling a whole story about a seafaring drunkard captain hunting sea monsters. That's a constant thing that creeps up, but also I tend to float around with narratives of mythology and lore and things like that. I've always was drawn to growing up.» (3)
"Cangreja / She Crab", óleo sobre lino / oil on linen, 18" x 20", 2016
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"El violín (estudio) / The Violin (Study)", lápiz sobre papel / pencil on paper, 14,5" x 40", 2018
«It all starts with an idea, right? And then the idea moves to pencil on paper, which then leads to production and finally the finished product. That’s how I approach a painting… starting with an idea, story, or concept, then a drawing in my sketchbook. I work from photos, life and imagination, whatever the piece calls for. I’m a big less-is-more fan as far as composition and I try to let a piece breathe and have a life of its own. Kinda like the way I am with my two kids, I suppose. I’m not sure I have a philosophy on style, there are so many ways to convey a message through paint and I appreciate so many types of art and artists that it would be impossible for me to declare what I think is right. For me, it’s a constant evolution. Trying to be looser, more comfortable, and always dig deeper. It’s never ending.» (1)
"SOS", óleo sobre panel / oil on board, 18" x 36", 2017
Serie "Fábula" / Fable Series
"Chupacabras", óleo sobre lino / oil on linen, 28" x 38", 2013
«With "Fable" I’ve always had a deep love for the fantastic, so the idea was to combine myths, legend and folklore with the sensuality of youthful beauty, a sense of childlike fascination, and a rich helping of psychological realism. I wanted to fuse elegance with darkness using stories I was obsessed with as a lad. The characters in the paintings span the gamut of religion, Greek myth, nursery rhymes, monster lore and a few real life icons whose stories have become legend. There were two sea-themed pieces, "Aphrodite" and "Siren". I painted 12 pieces in this series, and when I finally painted the thirteenth, "Siren," I think I found what I was looking for. I combined a natural element from the sea and a beautiful female figure. It wasn’t the first time I had done this but it was the first time it felt seamless. I was off and running with the sea theme after that, and so "The Sea Is Calling" came to fruition.» (1)
"La trascendencia de Pablo / The Trascendence of Paul", óleo sobre panel / oil on board, 14" x 24", 2018
"El delfín / The Dolphin", óleo sobre panel / oil on board, 24" x 36", 2017
«Es el retrato de una mujer recostada en una silla ornamental con un esqueleto de delfín totalmente articulado colgado en la pared detrás de ella. Me inspiré en multitud de fuentes para crear mi propia "Odalisca": una belleza a la espera, una doncella icónica, un magnífico misterio. La Gran Odalisca de Ingres me sirvió de modelo. Es uno de mis cuadros favoritos de Ingres y ha estado en el cajón de arriba del archivador de mi cerebro desde que lo vi por primera vez en el Louvre de París.
Lo mezclé con una imagen increíble de la película de Sophia Coppola, María Antonieta. El esqueleto de delfín se inspiró en las vitrinas de historia natural de Damien Hirst, como los tiburones flotantes, las vacas troceadas, etc. Y, por último, añadí un fondo texturizado verde oliva algo sucio como guiño a la obra abstracta de Gerhard Richter titulada Abstraktus Bild (1994).» (2) [ver referencias más abajo]
"El delfín / The Dolphin" (detalle / detail)
«It’s a portrait of a woman lounging in an ornamental chair with a fully articulated dolphin skeleton hanging on the wall behind her. I drew inspiration from a multitude of sources to create my own “Odalisque” — a beauty in waiting, an iconic maiden, a gorgeous mystery. Ingres’ Grand Odalisque was the blueprint for the painting. It’s one of my favorite Ingres paintings and it has been in that top drawer of my brain filing cabinet since I first saw it at the Louvre in Paris.
I mixed it up with an amazing visual from Sophia Coppola’s film, Marie Antoinette. The dolphin skeleton was inspired by Damien Hirst’s Natural History Vitrines, such as floating sharks, sliced up cows, etc. And finally, I threw in a textured, kind of dingy olive green background as a nod to Gerhard Richter’s abstract work titled Abstraktus Bild (1994).» (2) [see references below]
Serie "Fábula" / Fables Series
"Ícaro / Icarus", óleo sobre lino / oil on linen, 36" x 38", 2013
«I remember asking Bela* if she sees herself as I paint her. She just looked at me, not saying a word, and shook her head. I think that reaction says a lot about my work. No matter how aesthetically beautiful the woman staring back at you from my canvas is, no matter what sea creature or land animal she is wrapped in or adorning, she radiates an innocence that establishes a connection that resonates with the viewer. One of the reasons I think that this works is because my muses are not professional models. They are friends and people I have a connection with. There’s an established rapport. They’re akin enough to understand the story I am trying to tell.» (2)
* Bela Lotozo is one of the models in Victor's works, for example in the series "Fábula".
"La seducción de las monjas / The Seduction of the Nuns", óleo sobre lino / oil on linen, 40" x 60", 2012
«I just love art. Art is everything to me. Art is a friend, art is a chronology of history, art is a documentarian of nature, art is a teacher, and art is life. Although academia wasn’t my path — I did not go to art school nor study at ateliers — I love to learn. I’m a ferocious seeker of knowledge, of craft, and of stories. There is never an end to the process of painting; it’s not like it’s a new thing. People have been pushing every medium of painting to achieve perfection for hundreds of years. It would be foolish to think I could even scratch the surface of the skill and knowledge that’s out there. But what a way to live life; new wonder lies eternal when you recognize how the few items you have fill your medicine bag. There’s my flowery contribution to this interview…» (2)
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"Ascenso profundo (estudio) / Deep Rise (Study)", lápiz sobre papel / pencil on paper, 14" x 21", 2016
"Ascenso profundo / Deep Rise", óleo sobre panel / oil on board, 14" x 21", 2016
«There’s just something fresh and extremely powerful about a woman exuding confidence. Exploring herself in a new way in order to extract an attitude or an untapped emotion. A certain je ne sais quoi, if you will. The result can be stellar, like aged whiskey. The wheat has no idea of what its potential is. Once it has been guided through the distilling process and stowed in a barrel for years, well, what comes out at the other end is interplanetary.
But let us come back to Earth, which, in one way or another we’re all part of, where I’m hoping we can all relate. Amongst the earth, there is flora and fauna. I’ve been enthralled by the animal kingdom as far back as childhood. I marvel at the beauty and ferocity of nature and its fragile balance. By combining feminine beauty with raw nature, you get that fierce and innocent tension.» (2)
"Avicultura práctica / Practical Birdkeeping", óleo sobre lino / oil on linen, 36" x 48", 2016
"C. carcharias (*) Muerte desde abajo / Death From Below", óleo sobre panel / oil on board, 17" x 28", 2020
(*) Carcharodon carcharias (Gran tiburón blanco / Great White Shark)
"C. carcharias Muerte desde abajo (obra en proceso) / Death From Below (work in progress)"
"C. carcharias Muerte desde arriba / Death From Above", óleo sobre lino / oil on linen, 12" x 16", 2020
"El naturalista III / The Naturalist III", acuarela sobre papel / watercolor on paper, 51,5" x 72", 2022
«It’s important for me to be proficient in all the mediums that I can. There’s something special about all of them. Charcoals give moodiness and pencils are prime for drafting. I love watercolor and I am a huge Andrew Wyeth fan. His watercolors are mind blowing. I often drive to see his works in person at the Brandywine River Museum. Whenever I see a Wyeth, I want to break out my watercolors instantly. But most of my work is painted in oil. It is the most alive and creamy medium which really lends itself to painting flesh, and that’s what I paint, most of the time. As far as "The Naturalist" goes, I made the study while I was working on "The Naturalist" exhibit with the intention of putting it in the show. The story of the painting is very much the catalyst of "The Naturalist" show, an early 19th century explorer doing his thing on the coastal shores of New Jersey. The explorer had to be an octopus, because, octopi are my thing and it seemed like a perfect pick. To beach-comb with eight hands, you could collect quite a bit. And every good explorer needs an axe. My vision for the piece was always to do it in watercolor like a big Walton Ford of Audubon, but I just felt it didn’t fit with all the oil portraits of "The Naturalist".» (1)
"Cosecha / Harvest", óleo sobre lino / oil on linen, 48" x 68", 2020
"Sphyrnidae", óleo sobre lino / oil on linen, 40" x 60", 2020
«I’ve been told I live in a fantasy world. Just making paintings for a living is like a fantasy, one of mine that came true. But it’s all very real, and so is the imagery I paint. I think life is full of quirkiness and odd things that most people don’t see. Call it wonder or imagination but life is much more beautiful when it’s bizarre. I want this world that I see but would never exist to others to become real and pull people in. That’s why I paint in a realist manner, I want to make this oddball world so real that the viewer feels it, believes it.» (1)
"Rey del mar (King of the Sea)", acuarela sobre papel / watercolor on paper, 38" x 51,5", 2022
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Fuentes / Sources:
(1) "Las pinceladas de / The Brushstrokes of Victor Grasso"
Entrevista de / Interview by Jessica Rae. Beautiful Bizarre, 4/2016
(2) "El resplandor terrenal de las ninfas míticas de Victor Grasso /
The Earthly Resplendence of Victor Grasso’s Mythical Nymphs"
Entrevista en / Interview in Beautiful Bizarre, 2019
(3) "Interesting People and Places of Exit 0". Episode 5 - Victor Grasso"
Entrevista de / Interview by Jonathon Lavengetto. 5/2014. Youtube
(4) "Victor Grasso: Artista-Emprendedor-Hombre de familia / Artist-Entrepreneur-Family Man"
Entrevista de / Interview by Eddie Parsons. 8/2015 - Actualizado / Updated 12/2017. Huffington Post
You can see Victor at work in the film "Grasso: Beyond the Paint", a cinematic creation of filmmaker Frank Weiss and painter Victor Grasso.
Described by its director as a hybrid, the project blends both traditional documentary narrative and artistic cinema. It parts the curtain to reveal a glimpse of the man behind the work – while capturing on film the essence of the Cape May, N.J. artist’s one-of-a-kind creative vision. Trailer here.
Imágenes publicadas con autorización del artista. ¡Muchas gracias, Victor!
Images posted here with artist's permission. Thanks a lot Victor!
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Algunas referencias / Some references
"La gran odalisca", de Ingres, ya fue publicada en el blog aquí /
"La Grande Odalisque", by Ingres, was already posted in this blog here.
María Antonieta / Marie Antoinette
Kirsten Dunst como María Antonieta en un fotograma de la película homónima de Sofía Coppola /
Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antoinette in a still from Sofia Coppola's film of the same name (2006)
Sofía Coppola en "El Hurgador" / in this blog:
María Antonieta en "El Hurgador" / Marie Antoinette in this blog:
[Aniversarios (CLXXXIV)], [Fotógrafos japoneses (II)], [Eugenia Loli (Collage)], [Pintando esculturas (VI-1)]
Damien Hirst Steven
(Bristol, Reino Unido / UK, 1965-)
"Madre e hijo (divididos) / Mother and Child (Divided)", original, 1993
Vidrio, acero inoxidable, perspex, pintura acrílica, vaca, ternero y solución de formaldehído /
glass, stainless steel, perspex, acrylic paint, cow, calf and formaldehyde solution
2 partes / parts: 208,6 × 322,5 × 109,2 cm., 208,6 × 322,5 × 109,2 cm.
2 partes / parts: 113,6 × 168,9 × 62,2 cm., 113,6 × 168,9 × 62,2 cm.
Tate Gallery (Londres, Reino Unido / London, UK)
Damien Hirst en "El Hurgador" / in this blog: [Arte & Humor (III)], [Asonancias (XXXV-Anexo-II)]
Gerhard Richter
(Dresden, Deutschland / Dresde, Alemania / Germany, 1932-)
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"Abstraktes Bild / Cuadro abstracto / Abstract Painting (809-2)"
Óleo sobre lienzo / oil on canvas, 225 x 200 cm., 1994. Christie's
Gerhard Richter en "El Hurgador" / in this blog: [Aniversarios (II)], [Gottfried Helnwein (Pintura)]
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