My Artist Residency with Galleria Monteoliveto
Artist – in – Residence Programs are for creative people to stay and work elsewhere temporarily by participating in the provided context, such as work facilities, connections, audience etc.
No Artist Residency Program is the same.
Working periods can differ from 2 weeks up to 6 months or sometimes even a year.
I had the honor to get approached by the owners of Galleria Monteoliveto in Naples, Italy, with whom I already had a great relationship through exhibitions and different art projects.
I was allowed to stay for 2 weeks in their gallery studio in the center of Naples, provided with a room and terrace, overlooking the city and the Vesuvius.
This, by itself, was so inspiring to me, that just staying there would have made it worthwhile.
The project, I came for, is called “Mad for Naples”, where I had to deliver one artwork by the end of this program, which would meet the theme and would then be part of an exhibition in 2019 together with other artists, experiencing the same program with different visions.
1.5 weeks I was free to explore Naples, visit museums, churches, castles.
I walked for hours every day to “feel” the city, its charm, life style, history, people and their pride of this Napolitan Area.
A couple days after my arrival in Naples I was sent to a small village called Pollena Trocchia next to the Vesuvius.
I met people I have never seen before, got invited to their homes, offices, to talk about my work and art in common.
They organized excursions to historical places like La Chiesa Santa Maria di Pozzo, and to natural wonders like the Vesuvius, which determines the roots of belief of this whole region.
I got to taste their food, and learned firsthand about their lives.
By the end of those 2 weeks in residency, Galleria Monteoliveto organized an evening where I had to talk in front of influential artistic people , like the artist Pasquale Della Monaco, well known architects, singers and actors.
The time in Naples opened so many new doors to me.
I discovered a lot about myself and my approach to present and talk about my art.
I wouldn’t want to miss a minute of this whole experience and just can recommend to every artist out there
to become once in your lifetime a part of one of those Artist – in – Residence Programs.