Near yet Far


For the last two years I have been mainly painting abandoned industrial buildings. After many years of using a monochromatic black/blue/purple ink that contrasts with the almost fluorescent white of the paper, in these latest works I have gone back to the technique of oil on canvas that I had used in the past. The first step in my work consists of exploring the abandoned industrial zones within the fabric of the city and in particular those in the outskirts of the city which is an area that is constantly expanding and shifting its borders. I venture into these areas and record them with sketches, photos and videos. After that, I go to the studio to rework the material I have gathered, creating a rough drawing in pencil on a canvas prepared with a very fine base, I then go on to do the actual painting, laying on two or three thin layers.

My paintings make a strong social statement, partly a hold over from my days in the punk counterculture, but mostly driven by what I believe is the need to protest against the degradation of cities…




Andrea Chiesi
Translation by Jacqueline Smith