In a small heritage city in Tuscany , between the Alps and the sea , a mammoth tidal wave closes in on a large cityscape , with a single surfer paddling down its amplitude , seemingly unconcerned that his pop-up will coincide with his impact of an oncoming building . At least , that is what is happening in Tuscany on the smartphone screen of digital artist Gabriele Crippa .
At 24 , Crippa is a student of agriculture , food and environment at the university of Pisa , and works interchangeably as both a server and a cook . A lover of music , Crippa was a fan of rap and hip-hop early on but credits his father for expanding his musical horizons to include other genres of music . He now devotes most of his time to electronic music , which he feels represents him the most clearly , and he not only listens to it but mixes it as well . It was while working at a club that followed the underground movement of electronic music that Crippa grew attracted to the digitally manipulated designs on the covers of the vinyl , CDs and flyers .
“ I began to discover and inquire about the world of photo editing . My first approach was with Photoshop , but it was such a commitment . Between working and studying , the time I could dedicate was very little , and the best ideas always came to me while I was away from my computer . I began looking for something that was always available , something I could have in my pocket no matter where I was , and that ’ s when I discovered Mextures and Union ,” explained Crippa .