Dario Carratta on Painting, Dreams, and the Grotesque

In an interview with Artribune, Italian painter Dario Carratta (born 1988 in Gallipoli, based in Rome) discusses his artistic journey, influences, and philosophy. A graduate of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma, Carratta has exhibited at venues including La Biennale di Venezia Teatro (2020), Richter Fine Art in Rome (2016-2018), Det Ny Kastet Museum in Thisted (2018), Katzen Art Center in Washington DC (2017), and Launch F18 Gallery in New York (2013). He cites Francisco Goya as a key influence. Carratta describes his painting as 'lunar or cyclical,' using figuration spontaneously to communicate through images and symbols. He explores the uncanny and the grotesque, aiming to subvert the familiar. His work is nourished by poetry, literature, and an archive of sacred images. He believes painting today is a 'human, spiritual practice' and a return to primitive communication. Carratta criticizes Italian institutions for lacking support and favoring marketable names over quality.