Riccardo Guarneri on Rembrandt, jazz, and the mystery of painting

Italian analytical painter Riccardo Guarneri (born 1933 in Florence) reflects on his recent exhibition 'Luce che affiora' at Galleria Albani dei Musei Civici di Urbino, curated by Riccardo Freddo and Luca Baroni, which paired twenty original Rembrandt etchings with his own works. In an interview, Guarneri discusses the impossibility of literal dialogue with the Dutch master, the aleatory nature of art, and his background as a jazz musician. He contrasts his slow-consuming painting with immersive digital shows, comparing it to Bach's counterpoint. Guarneri taught alongside Getulio Alviani and Luciano Fabro at Carrara, where he encouraged students without breaking their desire. He has destroyed many paintings, calling failure a self-destructive process. His works entered the Centre Pompidou after a New York show caught the attention of a Biennale curator who visited his studio. He also reflects on hidden art, citing van Gogh and Ligabue as examples of delayed recognition.