The Story Behind Modern Collaboration Paintings
In 2017, a new approach to painting had taken a small Italian city by storm, a technique that not only combined the old and the new but breathed new life and vitality into otherwise old and forgotten paintings – it was called Modern Collaboration. Learn more about Modern Collaboration, and the story behind it.
What is Modern Collaboration Painting?
Modern collaboration is more of a painting concept than a technique. I first introduced it in early 2017 in my art studio in Modena, Italy. Above, you can see one of my first attempts at the new technique.
My Cousin Clementina was redecorating her house and found some old oil paintings in her garage. Looking for a fresh idea, she brought the oil paintings to my studio. The result was the first series of Modern Collaboration paintings. Applying my colorful art style to the paintings created a contrast between modern and classic art. But, as fun as the paintings were, modernizing them wasn’t enough. I needed something more to breathe life back into the paintings and essentially repurpose them.
Modern Collaboration paintings include two essential aspects: to bring together old and new through pleasant contrast and, more importantly, to revitalize the old paintings so they can be used. The idea of a beautiful oil painting sitting in a garage or storage, picking up dust, concerned me. I wanted to bring it back to life without destroying its integrity, but also in a way that it could be hung on walls in modern homes. This required me to go to my cousin’s house and observe the existing design, colors, and existing artwork.
Matching my modernizations to the home’s existing design and artwork, I created a stunning collaboration between modern and classic art that captured the essence of contemporary design. Unexpectedly, my new painting technique didn’t fail to catch people’s attention.
Within a few weeks, I received requests to “pop” or modernize old oil paintings from people who’d seen the paintings on Clementina’s walls. Happy to bring old paintings back to life, I started observing current designs and then modernizing the paintings to match them in my usual bright and colorful style.
Before I knew it, stacks of old oil paintings were strewn about my studio. Modern Collaboration had caught the eye of local art circles and galleries, so Modern Collaboration paintings were born.
