About Gianfranco Merati Studio

ARTIST STATEMENT

Beauty can be found where you least expect it. It’s more than a platitude offered up to an unforgiving void, but instead a call that resounds for those who wish to see more in their world. A world that is teeming with emotion often uncovered in the smallest of things. The simplicity of a peppercorn can gleam dull and mundane in one’s hand, but, when expanded, bursts into layers of intricacies. A small planet overwhelmed with ridges, with grooves, with streets of jet black abyss swelling into mountains of gold. Even a water droplet can awe if one knows how to reveal the universe within, the remains of stardust still glitter in a dying leaf.

The innate juxtaposition found in these things is comforting, as I too am filled with innate juxtaposition. I live with OCD. Both a highly analytical person and a person with rich emotional understanding. Reading people and their inner worlds, exploring the beautiful, tangled emotional world, and seeking the thrill of a technical skill all resonate within me. Perfection was my siren, until recently when I discovered the beauty of imperfections. Moving forward I am excited to exalt that part of my life, filled with rough edges and the rawness of reality.

Complex problems are thrilling. I embrace the technically difficult as it challenges me to produce art that surpasses those challenges. Abstract realism and fine art photography are challenging in and of themselves. I seek out the rules, soak them in, and break them apart. Pushing boundaries, subverting expectations, endlessly and relentlessly searching for the unseen. This is the reason I do not utilize photoshop whatsoever in my photography. The threat of relaxing during a shoot, knowing that I could fix it later, did not appeal to me. Instead, I spent years honing my skills so that when, if ever, I add photoshop to my toolbox, I will not be tempted to use it out of laziness but instead will embrace it as something that can add to the magic that already lives within my images.

These philosophies are formed from years spent blooming into the world. Born in Africa, I’ve witnessed everything from civil war to the lushness of luxury, I’ve travelled the world several times over. In each place, no matter the horror, I turned to the comfort of the simple beauty. The patterns hidden in leaves, the lightning streaks in the sidewalk cracks, the light shining against a sculpture on a hot summer’s day. This is not to diminish the bitter realities of this world, but an ode to the refuge I’ve found within them, within myself. When did you last seek refuge? Come, let me offer you a moment of peace. Let us take a moment from the harsh realities of this earth and revive our senses. Embrace the awe and breathe.

Thank you for your time - Gianfranco