Il vetro 1 | Page 47

BIOGRAPHY Giorgio Gessi was born in Tradate, in the Italian province of Varese, on April 14th, 1952. His zodiac sign is Aries. A self-taught artist, in spite of his limited resources Giorgio started cultivating his passion for art during childhood, experimenting with various techniques over the years. He began with oil painting on canvas. In his search for the best technique to fit his ideas, he later experimented with Indian ink on parchment, and after several years he accidentally found out that he can create his works of art by using glass. It was an epiphany: this material offered him the opportunity to create effects he wouldn’t be able to obtain with canvas or parchment, especially because he wanted to expand his knowledge of the Liberty Style and of Japanese Art, which captured his fancy with the marvel of their themes. He interprets these inspirations in a very personal way, and glass is the perfect “medium” for this, with its transparencies and its finely evocative perspectives. Glass engraving becomes an all-time favourite, and Giorgio Gessi uses it wisely and ingenuously in spite of it being a difficult and very specific technique, which requires a high degree of attention and expertise. No mistakes are allowed here: an engraved line can never be erased again. This artist has it in his soul to constantly try out new techniques: he has recently been experimenting both with sandblasting and airbrushing tools which, together with the engraving process, allow him to create new effects, like the shading or the uniform filling of specific areas. His artwork is often on display, either in one-man shows or in collective exhibitions. His engraved “glasses” have been showcased at several exhibitions over the years, notably at the Branda Museum in Castiglione Olona, at the ancient Monastery in Cairate, at the Villa Bianca Terragni in Seveso, and at the Frera cultural centre in Tradate. He has also exhibited at Saint Eufemia’s Cloister in Como, at the Palazzina Liberty in Stresa, and in several recurring exhibitions at AtaHotel in Rho Fiera and in Varese. The artist teaches glass engraving techniques during his exhibitions or at local art associations. Giorgio Gessi lives and works in Tradate (Varese) Address: Via Giosué Carducci, 9 E-mail: [email protected] tel. +39 347 5456672 47