Elle Decor, The Curatorialist: The Pictorial Nature of Marco Eusepi

Marco Eusepi (Anzio, 1991) embraces the pictorial language in its deep classical meaning; thanks to a skilful use of color, a compositional layout strongly linked to still life and a work focused on the modulation of the gesture, he builds – and then subsequently decomposes – the plant forms that are always the nerve center of his works. All this, combined with an often rarefied handling of the “background,” is for him the key to accessing the intrinsic aleatoriness that belongs to the reality of nature and all existence; subjects, seemingly lacking in meaning, that stimulate intimate moments of contemplation.

The choice of the pictorial media happens spontaneously, since childhood; graduated from the three-year painting course at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, in his professional maturity he develops a sign alphabet made of macroscopic and microscopic details from the fast realization that, at the same time, seduce us for their poeticity, but also for their wilder and impulsive essence.

A free practice, that of Eusepi, always poised between figurative and complete abstraction, which contains and translates autobiographical temperament and an energetic, as much as necessary, reflection towards Painting in the strict sense.

The word from the artist: Marco Eusepi

When did you decide to become an artist and why, among multiple languages, did you choose painting?

I didn’t choose to become an artist, much less to be a painter. I don’t think you can really decide to be something or to adhere to one language over another. There is a moment when that happens.

Did you attend any schools that fostered this career?

From childhood I was attracted to the dimension of art, and as soon as I had a choice, I attended first the Art Institute and then the Accademia di Belle Arti.

Is there a predominant source of inspiration in your artistic process? And how does this translate into your canvases?

I draw interest from biographical elements or those pertaining to the dimension of the everyday, which apparently might be irrelevant, but which in their simplicity turn out to be ideal pretexts for structuring a poetic investigation. All of this translates into the practice of painting starting with the choice of subjects that at this time can be traced back to the natural world, investigated not so much as subjects in themselves, but rather as metaphorical presences of an existential condition.

What are you currently working on?

Right now I am interested in the idea of the garden understood as a place separated from the world, a space of contemplation that escapes ordinary time. The garden is a symbolic place where the disruptive force of nature is ordered and organized by man. I find there is a strong affinity with the dimension of painting, which similarly converges a primordial human impulse to a complex cultural structure, harmonizing into a poetic dimension.

What do you wish for the young art system in Italy?

A greater awareness on the part of the institutions in charge of its promotion, so that we can succeed in creating a solid and well-structured fabric of research and dialogue. In addition, the wish is that those working in the art world, starting with us artists, curators and gallerists, bring back to the center of their research the work in its true essence and depth, placing their gaze and critical conscience before the market and the fashions of the moment.

The gallery owner’s word: Eduardo Secci:

How did you become acquainted with Marco Eusepi’s work?

I approached Marco Eusepi’s research thanks to the studio visit organized by Pier Paolo Pancotto, our chief curator as well as artistic director of the Villa Medici Art Club in Rome. I immediately appreciated his work and shortly thereafter, in November 2021, we presented it in the NOVO space dedicated to experimentation. Pier Paolo Pancotto was the curator of both this first solo exhibition in the Florence venue and the following one in summer 2022 – Gardens – which the gallery wanted to dedicate to the artist in the rooms of Palazzo Trigona in Noto.

What are the reasons that prompted you to represent him?

I really like that his way of making art moves within a territory dear to the Italian pictorial tradition, with a strong focus on nature and the representation of the landscape. His research elegantly reflects on the ancient and the contemporary together, and in an almost metalinguistic sense on painting itself.

Can you explain why you invest in his work?

Marco Eusepi’s works immediately capture the viewer’s attention. On his re-examination of the traditions of art history, between figuration and abstraction, the interest of collectors, curators and gallery owners is currently focused. Moreover, despite being an emerging artist, Eusepi already boasts an important resume that includes international exhibitions from Antwerp to Hong Kong.

Galleries unquestionably influence artists’ careers; what is the specific work you are doing on him?

One of the goals of the gallery, since its founding in Florence in 2013, has been to support artists by encouraging institutional projects in historically and culturally eminent places. In Marco Eusepi’s case, we chose Palazzo Trigona in Noto. The five rooms that housed his solo exhibition Gardens, curated by Pier Paolo Pancotto, were reopened to the public for the occasion after a good 40 years. We thought it interesting to create a dialogue between the decadent sumptuousness of the mansion and the delicacy of Eusepi’s artistic practice. In the near future, however, we plan a solo booth of his at one of the future international art fairs in which we will participate. Our intention is to make the artist progressively more present on the scene abroad.

What is the price range of his works?

From €2,000 for small-format works up to €15,000 for larger works.

The word from the collectors: Giacomo Spezza and Alberto Salem.

How did you become aware of Marco Eusepi’s work?

On the occasion of his first solo exhibition with the Eduardo Secci Gallery.

Why did you decide to purchase one of his works?

Marco’s paintings immediately fascinated us because of their elegant and refined minimalism, as well as the references to the works of two great 20th-century masters, Giorgio Morandi and Cy Twombly, that they evoked. This made it feel familiar to us, while recognizing in it an original, fresh and thoroughly contemporary way of painting.

How does Eusepi’s work fit into your collection?

For some time now we have focused our attention on painting and on young Italian artists who express themselves mainly through this language.

What prevails, in your case, in choosing a young artist: pure patronage vocation or a broader investment project?

Certainly by acquiring the work of a young artist you are aware that you are helping him on the difficult path of his affirmation, but that of patronage is obviously not the only drive, just as the thought of a possible future financial return cannot be. The choice of a work, at least in our case, always occurs as a function of falling in love at first sight followed by more rational reflection, whereby we ask if it can dialogue well with the pieces that already make up the collection. Some times the purchase is defined immediately while others, particularly when we do not know the author from before, come after in-depth studies of his work.

Do you think the art system, the Italian one in particular, should do more to support young people?

Definitely yes. There should be aid at the state level, as happens in many countries, so that the young artist can focus on his research and develop his own poetics, at least until a valid gallery represents him to promote his work.