Artist of the Month September 2018

Claudio Cinitiempo

Maceio, Alagoas, Brazil

Claudio Cinitiempo is a painter, sculptor and set designer who was born in Cosenza, Italy in 1965. He attended the Liceo Artistico in Cosenza. Then, he studied painting at L’Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma. He received training in Florence, Italy in set design at the Teatro Studio di Scandicci Firenze. He collaborated in set design and sculpture with many avant-garde theatrical companies such as the international Teatro Studio Krypton in Florence, Scena Verticale in Cosenza, Emisfero Destro Teatro in Milan, and Teatro Libero at the University of Calabria in Cosenza (UNICAL). He was commissioned by the Italian Railway Company “Ferrovie Calabro- Lucane” to create a sculpture for Pope John Paul II in honor of the Year of the Holy Family in 2004. He was commissioned by the city of Cosenza, Italy to create an allegorical float for Mardi Gras for two years consecutively. In 2011, he was commissioned by the Italian Cultural Institute “Dante Alighieri” of Maceió, Brazil to create a mural depicting Bacchus. He was also a set designer for Ventaglio Vacation Tours and Veratour Vacation Tours. Since 1991, he has exhibited many of his paintings. At the Biblioteca Civica di Cosenza (Civic Library of Cosenza), he had a solo exhibition of five paintings inspired by the Magic Flute by Mozart in honor of Mozart’s Bicentennial. He participated in group exhibitions at the First Biennale in La Valletta, Malta, at the 25 th International Festival of Art (La Telaccia d’Oro) in Turin, and at Il Graffio Gallery in Cosenza. He spent time in Mali in Africa where he encountered the art of Dogon that greatly influenced his paintings. He has 27 years of work experience, exhibitions, and accomplishments. He is a passionate painter of figurative art, drawing inspiration from Greek & Roman art, African art, & Cubism. Presently, his paintings are part of a collection at the Englishman Fine Art Gallery in Naples, Florida. He currently resides in Maceió, Brazil.

How and when did you start creating art?

As a young boy I would visit my uncle’s art studio in Cosenza, Italy. He was a sculptor and a painter as well as an art professor. I would observe him intently as he practiced his art. He took me under his wing and gave me art lessons.

What media and genres do you work in?

I use traditional media such as acrylic paint, oil pastel, and oil paint. I am a passionate painter of figurative art.

Who or what are your influences?

Having been born and raised in the Italian city of Cosenza in Calabria, which was a Greek colony, I am influenced by Greek and Roman art. I also draw inspiration from African art and Cubism. I enjoy fusing these three styles in my paintings.

What was your inspiration for The Sound of Sibyl?

The Greco Roman civilization is the inspiration for my painting, “The Sound of Sibyl”. The sibyls were women that the ancient Greeks believed were oracles.  In the painting, the Sibyl represents classicism with her features and her posture with hints of Cubism. The figure on the left expresses the disproportion of the form found in African art. The colors used in the painting also highlight African influences. I attempt to strike a balance and merge Greco Roman, African and Cubist tendencies.

Describe your creative process?

Stratifications or layering best describes my creative process. The final outcome of the work of art may have an immediate effect, but in reality, it is the sum of many stylistic “strata” that are based on a unitary balance. There is a classical strata, an African strata and a Greco Roman strata. At times, one strata is more apparent than the others.

What are you working on currently?

I am currently working on paintings in which the figure is the central theme.

What are your near/long term goals as an artist?

As an artist, my desire is to promote my artwork and increase its exposure on social media. I would also like to exhibit my paintings in a public forum.

Where can people view/purchase your work (gallery, website, etc)?

People can view my work on my website: http://www.claudiocinitiempo.com/en/

Instagram, Facebook, Linked In, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Google Plus. Several of my paintings are part of a collection at the Englishman Fine Art Gallery in Naples, Florida.