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