Interview with Guido Vedovato
The winner of the GRAND PRIX NAIVA BRATISLAVA 2022 is a painter included to world naive artists catalogs with the important place in the collections of several international galleries and museums.
With the Italian artist GUIDO VEDOVATO we spoke in Czech language thanks to his wife. It is my great pleasure to introduce you to this extraordinary creator.
I am starting with a traditional question that always interests me and I think the readers too. What was your path to art?
I was born in Italy in 1961. I started painting as a teenager roughly in the mid-70s. In these years, and especially in previous decades, naive art enjoyed great popularity in Europe. It immediately hit my hard. Although naive art use simple subjects, it attract the attention of many people precisely because of the elementary expressive language.
So you were charmed by the simplicity of naive expression?
Many people ask me why I started painting and why in this style. I mostly answered that art is not my profesion, I am painting for joy and it fulfills my life. I can communicate free, without any compromises. Naive art gives met he way to express my rich imagination.
Free technique is typical for naive creators. How was it with you?
Like almost all naive artists, I did not have any idea of painting technique, but over time and with increasing practice, I learned to work with brushes and oil paints, which are the most popular in my artworks.
When did you decide to exhibit your artworks, to show them to the public?
I started to participate in group exhibitions in my country at the beginning of the 80s. In the 1990s, I decided to participate only in international events and exhibitions. It was my choice because I finded very low Italian public's interest in this type of art. From this period until now, I have actively participated in approximately 400 group and solo exhibitions.
GRAND PRIX NAIVA BRATISLAVA 2022
Your artworks have the permanent place in the collections of several world galleries and museums. Can you mention some of them?
I cooperate with some art galleries in Europe and I am painting almost every day. My artworks have a permanent place in the collections of many important international naive museums, I can mention:
- Cesare Zavattini National Museum of Naive Art - Italy,
- Museum of Naive Art - Lauro - Italy,
- Museum of Naive Art in Jagodina - Serbia,
- Kovačica gallery of naive art - Kovačica - Serbia,
- Bages International Naive Art Museum - France,
- MAN Museum of naive art Béraut - France,
- International Museum of Naive Art MIDAN Vicq - France,
- State Museum of Naive Art in Moscow - Russia,
- Slovenian Museum of Naive Art in Trebnje - Slovenia,
- International Museum of Naive Art - Spain,
- Y. M. Daigle International Museum of Naive Art - Canada,
- Vihorlat Museum Humenné - Slovak Republic,
- Lysice Castle - Lysice - Czech Republic,
- Musée d'Art Spontané, Brussels Belgium,
- Municipality of Evere - Brussels - Belgium,
- Museum of Naive Art in Kecskemet - Hungary,
- Szombathely Art Museum - Szombathely - Hungary,
- Belogradchik Museum of Naive Art - Belogradchik - Bulgaria.
However, we do not find only paintings in your work.
Yes. During the time I added woodcarving to my artistic activities. I always wanted to try this. It bring me great joy and satisfaction when I can materialize my ideas into other dimensions.
Art is practically part of your whole life. Your artworks have unique style witch is immediately recognizable. How do you perceive it?
What do I expect from all those years dedicated to naive art?
Yes. Do you have any expectations?
I would like to leave a message about my journey on this Earth. A small piece in the great mosaic that is art in general. And if I will not fullfill this, It is enough for me that I brought to many people joy and pleasure with my artworks.
On behalf of the NAIVA BRATISLAVA team, thank you for the interview and I wish you many creative and joyful days.
Translation in to the English language: NAIVA BRATISLAVA
With the artist spoke Adžana Modlitbová.
Photo: Guido Vedovato archive