Francesca Cavicchio - winner of the World Bodypainting Festival 2021 - tells us about her experience and artistic growth. For her, creativity is an uncontrollable need to express herself and make other people feel comfortable.
Hi Francesca, it’s a pleasure to talk to you. Would you please tell us something about yourself?
My great passion for art and my creativity led me to attend a particular type of scientific high school, which combined scientific and artistic subjects. Then I graduate in design. Over time, I started approaching the art of bodypainting, mostly because I worked in tourist resorts with kids as a face-painter. Then, it was through a friend that I discovered competitions and I started working with adults as well. In 2015 I first took part in a contest and every year I’ve done even better also thanks to the comparison with the work of my colleagues. In 2018 I won the Italian championship, in 2019 I won the second place in the world championship and, least but not last, I got the first place in this year's edition of the World Bodypainting Festival, which took place online.
"The most important thing is to always follow your passion and self-motivation to express yourself through your art"
Please tell us about the World Bodypainting Festival and in particular how it felt to take part to an online Championship. What did you miss?
After my 2020 experience, this year I was very uncertain about competing. Usually, this championship takes place in Austria and gathers artist from all over the world. It's a great opportunity to interact, exchange opinions and advice. Working online, alone in a studio, doesn't offer the same opportunities and adrenaline rush as performing in front of an audience. This year I was ready to participate, I lived this experience with less anxiety and fewer expectations and I admit I was very satisfied with the result.
This year's main theme was “historical moments”. Why did you want to represent a moment of crisis and what are your main sources of inspiration?
During the difficult period we went through in recent years, I have often thought of one of the most famous Albert Einstein’s quote:
“Let’s not pretend that things will change if we keep doing the same things. A crisis can be a real blessing to any person, to any nation. For all crises bring progress. Creativity is born from anguish, just like the day is born form the dark night. It’s in crisis that inventiveness is born, as well as discoveries made and big strategies. He who overcomes crisis, overcomes himself, without getting overcome”.
Therefore, in my performance I decided to represent the crisis in two different moments. In the front part, I depicted despair and difficulty using a female face. From the mouth of this woman came out some smoke — a metaphor for the vital energy that leaves the body. Weather on the back part I depicted a relaxed and hopeful face using brighter colors to represent the rebirth. We are now living bad times, so I wanted to convey a positive message: every difficulty is an input to restart, improve and move forward.
What kind of advice would you like to give to people, who want to pursue a career in this field?
Before every performance, you need to inform yourself and have a clear idea of what you want to represent visually, but also conceptually. Rehearsing helps a lot. Especially if you are not completely sure about the design or where to place the figures on the body. Painting on a body is different from painting on a canvas because bodies are very different from one another and you have to take it on account.
In addition, it is essential to study and inform yourself, you must always aim at the most complete training possible. Being an artist means embarking on a path of continuous experimentation and sharing. Comparison is formative. Exchanging ideas and the influence of people who have the same passion as you, brings continuous improvement. However, it’s necessary that the performances of others don’t discourage you because, as in everything, it takes a long time before you are satisfied with your work.
The most important thing is to always follow your passion and self-motivation to express yourself through your art. My goal is to make me and others feel comfortable with my creativity. Expressing myself is first a need that, with time, through bodypainting and tattoos, has also become my job.
" I wanted to convey a positive message: every difficulty is an input to restart, improve and move forward"
What are your upcoming projects?
After the break of these years, I am currently working on a project with pregnant women to give them a unique souvenir of such a special moment. Hopefully, we can soon get back to sharing our creativity in squares and at events, that is what I missed the most during the lockdown. The interaction with the public is motivating and challenging. Entertain and impress with your art is a great personal achievement.
Follow Francesca Cavicchio and her artworks on Instagram
For DareClan
Images provided by: Francesca Cavicchio
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