Franco Guerzoni on hypertrophic art and the memory of matter

Franco Guerzoni, interviewed in his Modena studio, discusses his artistic trajectory from early photographic experiments with Luigi Ghirri to a painting practice rooted in archaeology and anthropology. In his youth, Guerzoni and Ghirri shared a camera and photographed abandoned houses and decaying interiors. Guerzoni developed a chemical process to grow mold and concretions on photographic surfaces, transforming documentary images into imaginary archaeological fragments. Influenced by André Malraux's writings and travels in Eastern Europe, he turned fully to painting, which he describes as "hypertrophic" — a term he uses to characterize art's excessive, layered nature. His canvases are built through stratification and erosion, with colors overlapping like geological deposits, evoking frescoes altered by time. Guerzoni values generosity in art, an openness he practices by welcoming dialogue and sharing his process. The interview was conducted by Silvia Camporesi and published by Artribune.