Roberto Cuoghi on Stylization, the Future, and the Sacred

In an interview with Artribune, Italian artist Roberto Cuoghi (born 1973 in Modena) discusses his practice, which resists categorization. He describes his upcoming painting exhibition as working "below zero on the scale of self-representation," painting against his own intentions. Cuoghi introduces the concept of "Stylization" (Stilizzazione), a method of simplifying complex images to their essence, which he sees as a pervasive force in contemporary culture. He critiques the on-demand content economy, noting that platforms like YouTube host 114,000 years of video views daily, a figure he interprets as a symptom of a world where images replace imagination. Cuoghi argues that the sacred remains a central impulse, manifesting in new rituals like bureaucracy and mathematical models. He dismisses the idea of providing advice to young artists, stating he has nothing to declare on Artribune. The interview is part of the "Futuro Antico" series, conducted by Ludovico Pratesi.