GiovanniEnricoMorassutti:5ThingsIWish SomeoneToldMeWhenIFirstBecameAn
Artist
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Beyourself.Itisthemostpreciousthingifyouwant tolivefully Strangely,wearebornfree,butthenwe forgetwhoweare Itisbackward
Asapartofourseriesabout“5ThingsIWishSomeoneToldMeWhenI FirstBecameAnArtist”IhadthepleasureofinterviewingGiovanni EnricoMorassutti
GiovanniEnricoMorassutti,alsoknownasGiovanniMorassutti,ismainlyan accomplishedfilmactorandtheaterdirectorexemplaryoftheMethodacting approachwith22yearsinthefieldHeisalsoaself-taughtNeo-Expressionist visualartist,curator,andfounderoftheinternationalartresidencyArtAiaCreatives/In/ResidencefosteringSustainabilityintheArtsandClimateChange TheatreHelefthishometowninItalyat18,andsincethen,hehaslived,studied, andworkedinNewYork,Paris,Rome,andBerlin,amongotherplacesHehas beengivinginternationaltalksandhaswrittenseveralessays,includingthe forewordtotheItalianversionofStrasberg’sbookand“StrasbergLegacy”,which wasalsopublished,asanonlineexhibition,byGoogleArts&Culture
Thankyousomuchfordoingthiswithus!Canyoutellusthestoryofhow yougrewup?
wasborninVeneto,Italy.
Myfamilycomesfromtheuppermiddleclass.
Onmyfather’sside,IamamemberoftheMorassuttifamily,alarge patriarchalfamilyofentrepreneursoriginallyfromFriuliVeneziaGiulia.
Mypaternalgrandmotherwasanaristocrat,thedaughterofMarquise EmiliaBuzzaccarini,sisterofoperasingerFrancoZaccariniwhochanged hisnameasanartist Ibelongtothecreativebranch
Igotmyfirstnamefrommypaternalgrandfather,anarchitect.
Hewasapoeticpersonandstylishinappearanceandoftenworefedora hatsandbowtiesHelookedsimilartooneofhisbrothers:Bruno,alsoan architectwhobecameinternationallyfamous
Beingsensitiveandcreativeandgoingmywaymakesmefeelsimilarto them.Onmymother’sside,mygrandfatherEricwasaself-mademanof PolishoriginswhocametoGermanyandbecameasuccessfuldoctor.He marriedIlseSchlichting,thedaughterofajudgeTheymetatafield hospitalduringthesecondworldwar
MymiddlenameisEnricobecauseofhimOnmymother’sside,Ihavea cousinBenjaminPiwkowhoisalsoanactorinGermany.
IgrewupwithmymotherandsistersincemyparentsdivorcedwhenIwas 4.Isufferedfromit,eventhoughIwasarelativelyhappychild.Ilovedart andperforming
MyherowassingerMichaelJacksonIdancedlikehimatpartiesIlikedto bethecenterofattentionItmademefeelseen,recognized,and appreciated.
IgrewupinthecityofPaduawhereIusedtobeverysocialandoutgoing Ididn’treallylikeschool
Afterobtainingmyhighschooldiploma,Ileftmyhometownandwentto NewYorkCitytopursuemydreams.
Canyoushareastorywithusaboutwhatbroughtyoutothisspecific careerpath?
Ihavealwayslovedthecreativeprocess,andthelifestyleofartists.
IrememberinhighschooldiscoveringthatIwantedtobeanactor.Ialso gotinsightsfromanarthistoryteacher,RodolfoBisattiHewasvery creative,andheisasuccessfulfilmdirectorIgotinfluencedbymycousin StefanoMorassuttiVitale,anillustratorwholivedinNewYorkinthe90ies thatIvisitedwhenIwas16.Iamverygratefultohim.Hegavemeanother perspectiveonlife,andthankstohim,IdiscoveredNewYork,thecity whereIamabouttoreturnAlso,mybestfriendwasaverytalentedartist IhadagroupoffriendswhowereartiststooIstartedtodosome installationsandpaintingwhileInhighschool.Itwasalsoandstillisaway toexpressmyselfIbelieveallartistherapeutic
Canyoutellusthemostinterestingstorythathappenedtoyousinceyou beganyourcareer?
IwouldsaythatbeinginvitedasanartistandfounderofArtAia CreativesInResidenceattheTransCulturalExchange’s2022International ConferenceonOpportunitiesintheArts:CreatetheFutureinBostonand receivingastipendtopresentmyartprojectshasbeenablast Iamvery gratefultotheartistMaryShermanforthisopportunity.NotonlydidI meetinterestingpeoplefromallovertheworld,butitalsoallowedmeto visitNewYork,whereIhadaveryinspiringandproductivetime
Whataresomeofthemostinterestingorexcitingprojectsyouare workingonnow?
Iamdevelopingmyartpracticethankstothehelpofafriend,Andrea Cataudella.Wesharesomethemesinourwork,suchasloneliness.
HeisaverytalentedNeo-expressionistartist Heisteachingmealot aboutthecreativeprocessandpaintingtechniques
IamalsocollaboratingasanartambassadorfortheArteLagunaPrize,an internationalartanddesigncompetitioninVenice,Itay.
Itisanhonortobeamemberofadistinguishedorganizationsuchas MoCa.Idealwithmanycreativeinstitutionsataninternationallevel,such asgalleries,artresidencies,and,ofcourse,otherartists
IamalsoworkingonaprojectaboutClimateChangeartandperformance IaminthefirstphaseofthecreativeprocessIfeelsomethingonthe moveinmyimagination.Finally,IamexcitedtomovebacktoNewYork, whereIhavealwaysfeltfreetobewhoIam.
Whoaresomeofthemostinterestingpeopleyouhaveinteractedwith? Whatwasthatlike?Doyouhaveanystories?
SpeakingaboutNewYork,Irememberhavingaglassofwhitewinewith avant-gardedirectorJonasMekasintheeastvillageduringthesummerin early2000,togetherwithmygoodfriendEricawhichIamhappytosee againsoon.
Also,mygranduncle,PaoloMorassutti,wasaverycharismaticpersonHe wasasuccessfulentrepreneurwhobroughttheGermancompany FischerwerketoPadua.
HeusedtodriveluxurycarssuchasFerrariandRolls-Royceandmake jokesbutwhatwasspecialabouthimwashissenseoffamilyHecared aboutallthemembersHewasaverygenerousmanandarealpatriarch
Irememberadaywhenoneofhisemployeescame,inavan,tomyhouse lookingforme.
Hesaidhehadaletteronmyuncle’sbehalf
Iopenedit,andtherewasamessageinwhichhewishedmegoodluck withmycareer,encouragingmetofollowmydreamstogetherwitha1000 USdollarstravelcheckIwas18andabouttomovetoNewYorkIfeltso supportedbyhimIwishIcouldtalktohimsometimesandaskforadvice
Wheredoyoudrawinspirationfrom?Canyoushareastoryaboutthat?
Sure,Istartwithanideaoravision.IimaginesomethingthatIwantto create,andthenIsketch.WhenIpaint,Iletmyinstinctflow.Lotsof thingsinspiremeIwouldsaythatmypersonalexperienceisprobablythe principalsourceAlso,theworkofotherartists,attendingaconcert,or readingabookaregoodsourcesofinspiration.
ImadeadocumentaryfilmPersonalDreamSpace,atermconceivedbymy actingmentorJohnStrasberg.
Itistheplacewhereweimaginewhatwewanttocreate.Forexample,an architectseesabridgeinhisimagination,andthentheworkistomakeit realItallstartswithavisionoradreamAsyouknow,Ihavedeepened thestudyofMethodactingandtheOrganicCreativeProcess,aconscious intuitiveprocesswhereanartistmakestheinvisibleworldvisible.Ibelieve thisistrueinallformsInmyartpractice,Ialwaysaimtoexpressmy consciousvisionandwhatIhavetosayaboutlife
Howhaveyouusedyoursuccesstobringgoodnesstotheworld?
IwouldsaythatIamtryingtomakepeopleawareoftheClimateCrisisby fosteringsustainabilityintheartsAsadirector,IworkonClimate ChangeTheater,collaboratingwithEnvironmentalassociationssuchas Legambiente.Iwanttosociallyconnectpeopletoenforceasenseof communityandequality.Ibelievethathumanbeingsinnatureare empatheticandcompassionateLoveisthemainforce,butunfortunately, webuiltasocietybasedonothervalueslikecompetitionand aggressiveness.Iwashopingthepandemicwouldhavecreatedsome changes,whichIdon’tseeenough.
Whatareyour“5thingsIwishsomeonetoldmewhenIfirststarted”and why.Pleaseshareastoryorexampleforeach.
Beyourself
ItisthemostpreciousthingifyouwanttolivefullyStrangely,weare bornfree,butthenweforgetwhoweareItisbackward
Showyourvulnerability
IwishedIdidn’thavealltheseconditioningideasofbeingstrong Ifeel completeandalivewhenIexpressmyemotionsandvulnerability
Don’tlookforapproval.
Lookingforapprovalisnormal,butitcanbecomeaprisonwhereyou neverfeelyouareenough.
Play
Lifeishard.Itisserious,butitislikeaplaygroundifyouthinkaboutit. Nothingispermanent
Love
Itisthemostimportantthingofall.Lovetowardsyourself,others,or whatyoudo.
YouareapersonofgreatinfluenceIfyoucouldinspireamovementthat wouldbringthemostamountofgoodtothemostamountofpeople,what wouldthatbe?Youneverknowwhatyourideacantrigger.:-)
Iwouldlovepeopletobefreeinthedeepmeaningoftheword.Ibelieve thateveryoneshouldbeabletotrulyandfullybehimorherself,whichis veryhardnowadaysandprobablyhasalwaysbeen
Ibelieveartgivesyoumomentswhenyoucanreachsuchastate,like beinginharmonywithnatureIguessmymovementaimstoconnectthese twosphereswithgreatlove.
WehavebeenblessedthatsomeofthebiggestnamesinBusiness,VC funding,Sports,andEntertainmentreadthiscolumn.Isthereapersonin theworld,orintheUSwhomyouwouldlovetohaveaprivatebreakfast orlunchwith,andwhy?Heorshejustmightseethis
Atthemoment,Iwouldliketohaveaprivatelunchwithwhoeverwill decideifIwillgettheartistvisatoliveandworkintheUS.
Iwouldtrytoshowhimmydesireandcommitmenttocontinuingtowork intheareaofmyexpertiseinNewYorkandLA
Whatisthebestwayourreaderscanfollowyouonsocialmedia?
IamnotanInstagrampersonIstilluseFacebookmoreoftenIamalsoa Goodreadsauthor,andmyessaysareonAcademiawhichIguesscanbe consideredsocialmedia.
Thiswasveryinspiring.Thankyousomuchforjoiningus!
Thankyou. --
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