Zvia Talks to Romans: Fabrizio, Painter

Fabrizio is a super talented painter, living and working in Rome. He has been painting for a long time, and I talked to him!

Name: Fabrizio Cicero
Age: 29
Where are you from? Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, provincia of Messina, Sicily.
For how long have you been in Rome? 5 years.
Which was the last restaurant you frequented in Rome? I don’t eat much in restaurants, but the last I remember is Margarì, in Pigneto. The pizza is very good.
Which was the last pub/club you frequented in Rome? The last place (which has become my first choice over the last few months) is Angleo Mai.
For how long have you been painting? With a pause here and there, around 20 years.
How do you describe your paintings? Figurative answer. Then I would add other adjectives that I can never find.
What kinds of materials do you use for your paintings? Acrylics, brushes, knives, pencils, old photos, new photos, scotch paper, wallpaper glue.
Where do you work? I work in my studio, which is equipped with everything that is in a normal room.
Finish this sentence: “The bigger the brush, the bigger…” the background.
Do you do anything other than paint? For the last 3 months I’ve been working as the light technician at Angelo Mai.
Is there a type of art that you don’t like or do not appreciate? I don’t like art that doesn’t make me scream.
If you could talk to any artist, dead or alive, who would it be? I choose two dead artists; Francis Bacon and Federico Fellini.
If you could paint, or make art with any artist, who would it be? I don’t know if that would be a good idea… maybe because it’s too much of a private affair. To work together with other artists, people have invented the ‘collective.’ I would like to collaborate with Francis Bacon, but I don’t know if either of us would make it out alive.
If you could go back in time and choose an era in which to be an artist, which would you choose? No! I would not like to live in any other era. I enjoy too much wracking my brains, trying to find a solution in an era as indefinable like ours.
Have you studied art or are you self-taught? I studied at an art high school, and then I was an apprentice for Alberto Di Fabio.
Is there an artist who has inspired you to become one as well? I don’t think there is any artist in particular who has inspired me: I believe it was all the movements in art in general.
From where do you get inspiration for your work? I walk around. I get good ideas on the tram, less so on the bus… And obviously, the most fruitful moments are: before going to bed and right when waking up- but the position must absolutely be horizontal.
What’s your goal for your work (e.g. becoming famous, earning enough to sustain yourself…)? The goal is to have good ideas that make you wake up in a good mood in the morning.
What do you think of the art world in Italy? Well, the only art world I know is the one here in Italy, so I cannot make any comparisons. However, the atmosphere is interesting: There are many great artists in the field, but there should be more of an investment in art.
And the art world in Rome? Rome is an interesting sound board for art in Italy. But the same goes for what I said for Italy above.
Do you have any advice for someone who is interested in becoming an artist, or someone who  likes to paint? Try not to think too much about money. Don’t go to every opening, but don’t be afraid of openings. Watch, and be contaminated by what other artists are doing, without copying them. Go home and work.

There you have it! All of Fabrizio’s art is for sale, so don’t miss the chance to be able to say ‘Oh that famous Cicero? Yea I have a few of his paintings.’ Check out (‘like’) his Facebook page, and his personal website.