I remember attending in 2003 a solo exhibition of Vega at the headquarters of ArteCultura in Milan in the Brera area, on that occasion he presented oil and acrylic works and enamels on yuta canvas, almost all of large format, I was struck by his sentence while he was illustrating the exhibition: “The brushes and colors begin to tire me, the brush comes between me and the work, it creates a detachment, I would like to work directly with my hands, maybe I am a failed sculptor and I do not know that I am one.” So he did, he began experimenting with new techniques and materials, and one day, when I visited him in his studio I was impressed by the amount of materials he was experimenting with; pieces of iron, wood, cork, plastics, plaster, clay and concrete.
“You see Pino,” he told me, ‘I’m using materials that are certainly interesting but have already been seen and used by other artists, I don’t feel them personal, I have to find something different’… I didn’t know how to give him advice! It was after about a month that he called me with an enthusiastic voice: “Come and see me, I would like to show you some new things!”
That day for the first time I saw what would lead him in the direction he still pursues today: Leather!
The studio was literally strewn with all kinds of leathers, all colors, as well as synthetic and natural leather and tassels, he explained his technical procedures to me with great passion, almost elated. He would take leather and hides, wet them, wring them out, color them, with a series of tools he built himself, cut them with skill and speed to then apply them to the design previously made on a large rigid support! “But where did you learn to handle these materials like this?” I asked him! “I was visiting a friend in Prato, Tuscany, she works for one of the most important fashion production houses, for designers of the caliber of Ferragamo, Gucci, Cavalli and others, a full immersion week in contact with designers and artisans, I stole a few secrets in an exciting environment of great creativity and technical skills, a new world opened up to me,
I will put these techniques and materials at the disposal of my art, my creativity… ! Three days ago, before I wrote this piece, I visited Vega, he was as always immersed in his work that he almost didn’t listen to me; I humored him and, as I know him well, I simply went to look at the latest works hanging in the large living room of his studio I didn’t want to think about any concept, I simply wanted to look at his paintings made with hides, leather, and fabric, so, without a frown of analysis and criticism, I simply wanted to defer to the feeling they conveyed to me…I found them beautiful, exciting, full of passion as well as truly unique from a technical point of view! And although Vega almost didn’t talk to me, I came away pleased and fulfilled by the harmonies of colors, the themes of great feeling and the animated forms of these very special, very unique works.
Giuseppe Lippoli