Paola Angelini Wins Osvaldo Licini Prize, Reflects on Painting and Provincial Life

Paola Angelini (born 1983, San Benedetto del Tronto) has won the fifth edition of the Premio Osvaldo Licini by Fainplast, with an exhibition running until March 15 at the Galleria d’Arte Contemporanea Osvaldo Licini in Ascoli Piceno. Angelini lives and works in a studio in the port area of San Benedetto del Tronto, on the Adriatic coast. In an interview, she discusses her relationship with painting, which she describes as an innate predisposition rather than a chosen medium. She moved back to her hometown to be near her father, with whom she could discuss painting authentically. Angelini notes that her studio's location in the port allows her to isolate and work undisturbed, surrounded by the authentic atmosphere of fishermen mending nets. Regarding the Licini Prize, she does not feel appreciated by her local territory but values the connection to Osvaldo Licini, an artist she admires for his constant questioning and stylistic evolution. She argues that living in the province is no longer a limitation but a luxury, allowing artists to invest in larger studios and travel for meaningful exhibitions, though she acknowledges that younger artists may benefit from being in cities where things happen.