“I consider myself European.”
Name
Romana Londi
Profession
Painter
Website
Who are you? What do you do?
I am an artist, I am Italian and Irish. I live in London since ten years.
Where are you from?
I was raised in the centre of Rome and in the west coast of Ireland, I consider myself
European.
Your style in 3 words?
Eclectic, essential, I hope harmonious.
Your weakness? Your strength?
Dare, Dare and always Dare!
What makes you different?
I am not really interested in being different, I am more interested in finding similarities with what feels unrelated.
When did you decide to become an artist?
I came to London when I was 20 to study art at Central Saint Martin, I consider it the first
commitment to my painting practice.
What do you find most fascinating about the creative process?
Possibilities.
A few words about your favourite creation?
A present I am working on a series of painting whose colour shades drastically change according to their exposure to sun light, and hence time of day, season, country, architecture. The first painting of the series is an intimate smallscale painting, its shades vary from clear white to rich fuchsia, it becomes invisible, then restful, then decisive, then erratic, then progressive backward as night falls. I made it while on a residency and in a moment of creative confusion, I initially described it as a way to entertain those with no imaginations and to explain myself to those who understand my seasons, I titled it Blushing.
Someone else’s work that inspired or inspires you…
It is an Endless list. From Giotto to David Hammonds to Gerhard Richter to Francis Bacon, to Agnes Martin, Turrell, Olafur Eliasson, I tend to look at many works at the same time but it is more often one specific work which interests me or a detail of a work that captures my interest and research. Christ contemplated by the Christian Soul by Velasquez at the National Gallery, I am moved by the drop of blood on Christ tie and on the cloth he uses to cover himself. When I noticed this I realised it was probably one of the last few strokes on the painting.
A new project coming up or an idea you want to work on?
I will be showing at Art Basel In Miami, I will be presenting an installation and my first Colour Changing Book. The book must be read during the day and preferably outdoors. I like the idea that with each unfolding page a new image will appear and once the page is turned the image will be gone and it will be silently blank until new hands scroll through it most probably at a different time of day or season or country and it will then be different. No day is ever the same and neither are we.
Do you have a vision?
I have intuitions.
2017: Where are we going?
I am attempting towards the light
Your city’s favourite spots?
I love the diversity of London, I am still discovering the city, I work in Shoreditch where there is a dynamic energy and often music playing outside of creative studios. My ideal day includes encountering a secret rose garden, discovering a new interesting building, I recently discovered Adjaye Architects whose work I love, a walk through the canal with a spontaneous lunch at the Towpath or la Rochelle canteen, a play at the Arcola Theatre or at the Almeida Theatre followed by an animated mind expanding dinner with friends at J Sheekey for its glamorous atmosphere. Gallery wise I always follow The Approach Gallery and Herald Street, but I also noticed a growing number of pop up shows from independent curators, I feel this is the way forward for the young artists in the city.
Tell us about your future plans..
I am looking at architecture and I am working towards my first Fresco. The colour changing paintings react to light and hence to shadow, as I paint them I often find my own position in the room interfering with the work by casting my shadow on the canvas. I would like to explore this side of the work through installation and performance.
