Stanislao Di Giugno on Abstraction, Stratification, and the Act of Painting

Stanislao Di Giugno, born in 1969, lives and works in Rome. In an interview, he discusses his abstract painting practice, which he describes as a process of successive layers that annul previous ones, creating a temporal condensation. He cites influences from Beato Angelico to Neo Rauch, and names Francis Bacon, Giorgio Morandi, Mark Rothko, and Sean Scully as past inspirations, while currently looking at American Abstract Expressionists. Di Giugno works without preliminary drawings, often on large vertical canvases, folding the fabric to create sculptural effects. He views painting as a contemplative act and a challenge in a screen-saturated world. Recent exhibitions include 'En plein air' at Studioli, Rome (2018), 'Cinque Mostre ‒ Vision(s)' at the American Academy in Rome (2017), and a solo show at Galleria Tiziana Di Caro, Naples (2016). The interview is part of the 'Pittura lingua viva' series on Artribune.