#UNSEEN

#UNSEEN by Giorgio Casu, Michele Palazzo

Unseen is a brand new collaborative project between artist, Giorgio Casu, and photographer, Michele Palazzo. Born out of a conversation on the intersections and possibilities that a combination of photog- raphy and painting can uncover, the two artists have produced 33 artwork pieces that are novel exten- sions of both mediums, revealing very intimate interpretations of New York daily life.

The individual works represent a re-invention by Casu of a known technique: painting on printed pho- tographs. By overlaying a contrasting artistic form on existing photographs, Casu interweaves an ongoing dialog between two artistic souls with every brushstroke. He first uses traditional fine-art oil grade and acrylic paint; then he adds invisible flourishes with fluorescent paint, visible only by direct exposure to UV light. The effect is to surface a thought-provoking “third perspective” over the initial piece.

All photographs were taken in New York City and depict moments of its frenetic yet poetic life. The interaction between the human and the urban, between individuals and the architecture are the surface-themes depicted by the photographs. Candid in nature, Palazzo's photos are a visual narra- tive; a photographic poem drawing viewers in, composed of colorful streams of interactions between disparate urban elements.

The candid nature is, however, deceptive.

Through Casu's artistic intervention, the hard realism of the photos are cracked open by the strokes of the brush, each one causing small yet seismic shifts in meaning and understanding. The final effect is to trigger a wave of imagination, completing an artistic continuum spanning from photographer to painter to viewer.

Ultimately, the viewer can’t help but shine light on new truths, discovering a fantastical, psychological overlay seeping into the photo’s stoic realism that was, at first, unseen. 

Name: 
Michele Palazzo / Photographer , Giorgio Casu / Artist