LUCIANO CAGGIANELLO
- ARTISTIC HUB MAGAZINE
- Jun 20, 2024
- 9 min read
Updated: Oct 6
ITALY
The Metaphysics of Creativity: The Synergy of Physical and Digital in the Art
Luciano Caggianello is an Italian artist whose career has been shaped by diverse experiences and a deep intellectual curiosity. From his early work as a graphic designer, illustrator, and art director to his current practice that merges physical materials with digital technologies, Caggianello’s evolution has been steady and deliberate. He describes his artistic philosophy as the “metallurgy of thought,” a vision grounded in conceptual exploration and intellectual experimentation. In this interview, Caggianello reflects on his creative journey, reveals the processes behind his work, and shares his perspective on the role of art in contemporary society.
Your artistic journey spans a wide range of styles, from figurative expression to conceptualism. How has the evolution of your style shaped your current artistic practice and philosophy?
My artistic path has been very diverse, just like my professional journey. I began in advertising as a graphic designer, illustrator, and later as an art director, before eventually shifting my interests to architecture, industrial design, and car design. This path has probably been enriched, developed, and transformed because I have always wanted to follow my most intimate and profound intellectual curiosity.
The artist I once was, along with my practice and philosophy, has changed compared to the artist I am today. To such an extent that I now prefer to be described as a "creative" rather than an "artist." Being a creative means having various processes sedimented over time, often using alternative systems or tools, so that the idea, the concept, and the thought become the main and predominant elements in shaping a framework that contains aesthetic, visual, artistic, planning, social, and communicative aspects.
What becomes fundamental and gains real value is achieved only through the ability to express these parameters, and certainly not by how we choose to be called or by how others define us.
I am convinced that personality, including the artistic and creative one, is expressed through intellectual and cognitive processes and methods. This is the synthesis of talent, after which we learn to use the tools that serve as means but never become the main goal. This is, in fact, the distinction between skill and talent. Those who obsessively focus on skill can only become good craftsmen, not great artists.
To conclude the analysis of the concept of personality, I can say that when an individual reaches a saturation of knowledge (although no one will ever be completely saturated), this intellectual capacity becomes useful and predominant, ready to be distilled, redirected, and integrated into other fields. In short, only by accumulating knowledge does one become capable and prepared to transmit it. Otherwise, without accumulation, the conditions do not exist to transfer any competence, skill, information, or concept to anyone, even if that person might be called an artist, a genius, or a superstar.
Your works often combine physical materials with digital technologies. Can you explain how this hybrid approach contributes to your artistic expression and what you aim to achieve with it?
In reality, I believe that it is not the approach (hybrid or otherwise) that contributes to my artistic expression but the opposite is true; expressiveness determines and probably validates the identification of a specific creation through one medium rather than another.
However, I am absolutely convinced that the medium, however interesting, pleasant, or aesthetic it may be, represents only a tool to direct a concept. What is significant is the thought that becomes the main protagonist, the essence of conceptualism, and it is precisely this different approach, as well as the perception in developing a profound communicative language, that leaves me thinking of it as a strong point, at least in conceptual terms. However, in visual terms, the most incisive support derives from the possibility of providing an image or an artifact which also has an aesthetic value and its own ability to present itself in a harmonious, elegant, and possibly innovative way, without becoming an obsession or an indisputable reason for choice.
Your artistic journey spans a wide range of styles, from figurative expression to conceptualism. How has the evolution of your style shaped your current artistic practice and philosophy?
My artistic path has been very diverse, just like my professional journey. I began in advertising as a graphic designer, illustrator, and later as an art director, before eventually shifting my interests to architecture, industrial design, and car design. This path has probably been enriched, developed, and transformed because I have always wanted to follow my most intimate and profound intellectual curiosity.
The artist I once was, along with my practice and philosophy, has changed compared to the artist I am today. To such an extent that I now prefer to be described as a "creative" rather than an "artist." Being a creative means having various processes layered over time, often using alternative systems or tools, so that the idea, the concept, and thought become the primary elements in shaping a framework that contains aesthetic, visual, artistic, planning, social, and communicative aspects.
What becomes fundamental and gains real value emerges only through the ability to express these parameters, and certainly not through how we choose to be called or how others define us.
I am convinced that personality, including its artistic and creative dimensions, is expressed through intellectual and cognitive processes and methods. This synthesis is the essence of talent, after which we learn to use tools as means that never become the main goal. This is, in fact, the distinction between skill and talent. Those who obsessively focus on skill can only become good craftsmen, not great artists.
To conclude the analysis of personality, I can say that when an individual reaches a saturation point of knowledge (although no one will ever be completely saturated), this intellectual capacity becomes useful and predominant, ready to be distilled, redirected, and integrated into other fields. In short, only by accumulating knowledge does one become capable and prepared to transmit it. Otherwise, without accumulation, the conditions do not exist to transfer any competence, skill, information, or concept to anyone, even if that person might be called an artist, a genius, or a superstar.
One of your most recent projects was exhibited at the Contemporary Art Museum in 2020. Can you tell us more about this project, its concept, and the audience's reactions?
If we are to talk about recent museum exhibitions, we should also mention, for context, the Chianciano Museum during the 2022 Biennale and others such as the Civic Museum of Anzio, the Textile Museum, the Open Art Museum, the Automobile Museum, MAVV, the Museum of the Arts, Museu de Arte Moderna Aloisio Magalhães, Museu Murillo La Greca, the Fossil Museum, MIIT Museum, Waldensian Museum, Muspac, and many others. I do not intend to make this a sterile list, but rather to emphasize the diversity of contexts.
Each place determines the work or works that are inserted and contextualized within a specific project. The exhibition in 2020 also reflected these assumptions and frameworks, as well as a particular “social geography” defined by the Covid period and its implications. What I presented on that occasion fit precisely into the atmosphere of a delicate and unique historical and social moment. However, even if for many artists, critics, and curators exhibiting in museums is considered an absolute sign of success, I believe that the place should not determine or validate a concept, especially if the concept itself is fragile or non-existent. I say this without intending to diminish the importance of museums but simply to point out that it is necessary to change a fairly widespread evaluative paradigm and to prioritize content over the container.
As for the reactions of the public, I do not worry much about such judgments, not because I am indifferent, cynical, or intolerant of other opinions, but simply because I do not cultivate the idea of having to or being able to please everyone.
Your artistic philosophy focuses on the "metaphysics of thought" and intellectual experiments. Can you explain what you mean by this and how you apply it in your work?
Since my creativity and artistic process are influenced by everyday life as well as by other intellectual fields such as philosophy and history, I have defined the development of my research as the "Metallurgy of Thought."
This metallurgy, which also becomes metaphysical because it is associated with thought and therefore represents a kind of forging of ideas, leads to the elaboration of concepts of synthesis, existential awareness, intellectual experiments, verbal innovations, and visual alternatives of participatory tension. Only after this long and complex inner journey does one reach an awareness of meaning. Human beings, though given to limitless self-experimentation, inevitably face the reality of concrete behavior and must therefore provide an interpretative key.
Furthermore, since I believe that kindness without honesty becomes opportunism and honesty without kindness turns into severe cynicism, in applying my artistic philosophy and communication I always try to be both honest and kind, even at the cost of being misunderstood. Understanding is a profound act of trust that arises from dialogue, where the goal is not victory. The best person is not necessarily the one who wins, but the one who carries greater enthusiasm and joy for life.
Art exists for dialogue, not for the affirmation of unilateral truths. This is my current conviction, the one that allows me to pursue this path, even if, as the wise man says, truth never triumphs, but its adversaries eventually disappear.
How do you approach the process of creating your installations and sculptures? Is there a specific method or ritual you follow when starting a new project?
Although my approach is based on creative methodologies, I tend not to establish a precise or strategic routine, whether behavioral or habitual. My mind has become accustomed to receiving stimuli in the most diverse contexts. My ideal environment is one that gravitates around transformation, stories, alternative visions, and even errors, as well as concrete existential experiences. My inner background is not exhibited directly, except through the expressive and contextual intent of the concept. After I capture my intuitions, I refine and develop them in the studio, adapting them to a specific medium in order to guide them toward their final expression. Since I can work with digital media, sculpture, installation, painting in all its forms, and also graphics or illustration when appropriate, I interpret each work by choosing the medium best suited to synthesize, interpret, and enhance it.
Moreover, I have realized that those who cannot convince often try desperately to astonish. My approach aligns with the theme of persuasion in a polite way, sometimes with a touch of irony, without the need to raise my voice. I try to present my beliefs, which are not certainties, from a perspective that gives them complete meaning.
How do you see the role of art in contemporary society? Do you believe that art can initiate social change, and if so, how?
Art, and consequently the artist, are carriers of concepts, intentions, and references that deeply affect society, understood not as an abstract entity but as a living audience of conscious individuals. I therefore aim to achieve an ethical consensus rather than an aesthetic one, even though the word "ethics" is contained within "aesthetics." The purpose of art should go beyond pure intellectual speculation or fetishistic conception, reaching instead toward usefulness and service. To serve does not contradict the individual’s search for balance; rather, proposing ethical concepts is itself an act of service and engagement.
It is true that the degree of openness and participation depends on others’ willingness to be involved. Yet it is essential to understand that learning is expansion, a dilation of consciousness, and this process is supported not only by effort but also by intelligence.
While the ordinary person seeks intelligence to display it, the wise person seeks to conceal it. Perhaps there is also a kind of wise art, one that avoids any display or affectation. True and profound art does not need to appear; its very being is enough. It draws the viewer into participation, awakening imagination, reflection, and inner openness. When art reveals its entire message, it becomes a dogma and ceases to be a tool for the growth or transformation of desire. As its foundation, art must carry not only meaningful messages but also ideals, dreams, utopias, and above all ethical concepts that inspire reflection, change, and evolution.
What are your plans for the future? Are you currently working on any new projects that you would like to share with our readers?
I work diligently to plan and pursue certain goals, yet I remain open to the inevitable fluctuations of daily life that constantly reshape new scenarios, events, and opportunities. Because of this variability, I prefer to share my work only after it has been realized.
The only "strategy" I feel confident to share is the freedom to express my ideas without coercion, manipulation, or speculation. If any form of constraint were to arise, I would abandon that path without hesitation. I believe that true freedom, as well as genuine social innovation, lies in creating a meaningful educational project that provides effective cultural tools and encourages reflection, ensuring that no one becomes, unknowingly, the target of influence. It would be desirable to counteract the widespread decline of critical thinking and the gradual weakening of individual ethical and social responsibility.
Tolerance should never become a virtue for its own sake, because extreme subservience or total permissiveness can be harmful. Sometimes it is essential to reject objects, comments, advice, or trends, to say clearly that we do not like them and do not wish to participate. It is vital to show no psychological submission to certain forms of abuse, such as advertising, television, or social figures like influencers, and instead to uphold genuine and profound critical thinking. Only through the consistent practice of ethical and moral integrity can we foster a true revolution, or rather, a meaningful evolution.
© Luciano Caggianello
The interview with Luciano Caggianello reveals the depth and complexity of his artistic expression. His ability to merge diverse media and technologies, combined with a profound dedication to conceptual art, establishes him as a distinctive voice in the contemporary art scene. Caggianello’s artistic philosophy, grounded in intellectual exploration and deep reflection, both inspires and challenges the viewer. His work is not only visually compelling but also intellectually engaging, inviting contemplation about the world we inhabit. Through this conversation, Caggianello reminds us that art possesses the power to transform, to inspire, and to spark meaningful change within society.
Photos: © Luciano Caggianello
