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Parentela Interview
 

"I want to draw on great surfaces because my nightmares are so many & with the years they increase!"

An Interview with Claudio Parentela, one of the busiest artists on the web.

RD: How long have you been at this (Drawing)?

 

CP: I've always drawn...I don't know why, but I've always drawn strange things like these...my mother thought they were demonic and therefore also I was demonic. I was the devil in person...well, her stupid words were the right stimulus to continue to draw 'demonic' faces, demonic eyes, demonic flowers, demonic clouds...all a great world of demonic shit (that is Claudio's great shit).  However, maybe my mother had a reason because I'm not very 'normal'.  But I was born so, a poor, dark freak in a perfect world of normal people...but are they so normal or are they all mad...? I don't know, I'm  too stupid to understand... I draw all the days and all the time since about 1995...

 

RD:  You’re too hard on yourself.  So is that when you also started sending your work out?

 

CP: Yes, since 1995. I've begun this crazy 'work', sending my weird art around the world to all the mail art projects that I knew of, and then to many, many art & punx zines...labels, artists, small presses and so on, and with time, the collaborations have increased...& I like all this mad movement!

 

RD:  How'd you get started?

 

CP:  It's a difficult & strange question, this.  I'd begun to draw when I was a child. Yes, it was a wonderful game before, but now it's my work & I love it because I love to draw. Naturally, if I can also sell my artwork, it's better again.  I've done various shows in art galleries, too.  I like this because I'm drawing on large boards with colored oils (after all the black & white drawings over the years, I desire a bit of color or maybe my nightmares now are more colored)!

 

RD:  I first saw your drawings in Frank Moore's Cherotic Revolutionary magazine (www.eroplay.com.  What do you think about Frank's work?  Is he an influence on yours?

 

CP:  Oh...Frank is a great friend of mine & the dearest person & a wonderful artist...he's magic; all his work is magic.  Sure, I've published my art on ''The Cherotic Revolutionary #8'' if I remember right.  I like all the artworks published on this magazine.  For example, La Bash's art is great...!  Frank is so intelligent and creative.  He plays & he likes to play with all he creates & makes.  Sure, all the art has to be a funny game before...& sure, our work is similar, but Frank's work/art is more free & joyous because his work wants to be cathartic.  My work is cathartic for me, but it's so dark & chaotic & painful & contorted... Our work/art is similar & different, so yes, I feel influenced by Frank but in a thin & invisible & magic way.

 

RD:  Do you work in other media besides pen/brush and ink?  What?

CP:  I'm a photographer too.  I like to do chaotic & dark & splatter collages with photos & my violent comics...I'm studying various software to do short movies with my artworks...terrible wars & love stories with a lot of violence and weird religions & whores & aliens & sad lovers.  They'll be very colorful.

 

I'm drawing on large boards with a lot of colored oils, but to use them, I use my fingers.

 

RD: Say what?!

 

CP:  I like to draw so much, I want to draw on great surfaces because my nightmares are so many & with the years they increase!

 

RD:  So, it’s therapeutic.  Is that why do you do it?

 

CP:  To live (I hope...!?) because I feel free. For a lot of years I've been a real shit, full of things not mine and with a life not mine (I've always done & thought horrible things that I hated...because I didn't love myself or my life).  I wasn't able to continue to lie to myself...

 

RD:  So you mean you had a job you that was killing your soul and after years of that, you finally quit to pursue your dream/nightmare?

 

CP:  Yes...poor but happy...! Sure, I want money, it's natural & logical to live! I love to draw & I want to continue to draw...

 

RD:  Over the last couple of years, you've been using the internet more and more.  Now that you have a website or two (how many links do you have?), what do you think about the WWW?  Plusses?  Negatives?

 

CP:  I love Internet because it is so chaotic, like my mind.  I spend a lot of time every day in front to my computer.  .I use the electronic mail now, prevalently, because it is cheaper, safe, faster.   And while I now spend long hours in front to my computer, I love to run on the web What I think about WWW  is I like it & for my work & art it is a wonderful new way to publish & to share & to sell my artwork.  Naturally, I've known a lot of crazy & funny artists on the web...so in the end, sure, I vote for WWW!

 

RD: What are you up to these days?

 

CP: Well...I'm working on a next personal show at DIESEL GALLERY (NY) for the next fall.  I've finished my last booklet for the ''Cafetiere Editions'' (Belgium).  As ever I've got a lot of collaborations around: zines, magazines, labels, bands, small presses, etc...and always I send my artwork to all these guys.  I'm working also, with Stampa Alternativa, an underground & historical Italian small press (I've drawn some covers for them).  I've got to draw a lot of artwork for 2 other personal shows in Spain & in Norway for next December, maybe. And I've just sold my home & I'm working in my new home...it's beautiful, large, with a great garden & I'm happy for this new home...you'll be my guest soon, OK???

 

RD: I wish it were so easy.  Thanks, man.

 

CP: Ciao!

 

RD:  You can contact Claudio directly or visit these two websites to learn more about him http://www.cafeshops.com/artclaudioart 

http://www.graphola.com/artist_detail.php?id=120

 
 

A CLASSIC EXAMPLE
 
All Rights reserved by C. Parentela

Known for his demonic influenced pen and ink drawings, Claudio has gained a world-wide following!


October 2003

 
 

Exploring the Creative Process since 1996