Tell us about yourself
My name is Francesco, and I am a designer and artist with an interdisciplinary background in architecture, product design, and community building. I grew up in Venezuela, studied architecture at Wentworth Institute of Technology while in Boston, then lived in San Francisco until the summer of 2020; I’m currently remote from Miami while working from home and exploring where to go next. I am a curious person, always learning and taking notes from my surroundings. On my day-to-day, I make an effort to be receptive to new perspectives, connect with people who are open-minded, and be inspired by different creative possibilities, either at work, with side projects, or in my art practice.
What is your main inspiration while creating art?
I am inspired by city infrastructures, geographies and landscapes, and the space between people and the built environment, all while representing these experiences across different mediums and environments.
You tell us that you are from Venezuela; how does that connect and reflect in your work?
Venezuela informs my visual memory log, as well as my earliest memories. Through images, I remember my grandparents' lush garden with clementine trees and monsteras, the neighborhood’s cul de sac, and my grandmother’s vegetable soup with arepas. I remember, lots of smells and colors, the wet grass after a heavy rain, the noise of the crickets in the patio, the avocado trees, the colors mangoes with adobo and salt, the sunny days with no clouds and relentless heat, the palm trees of Tucacas and the blue water of Morrocoy. I think these visual memories translate into an ongoing curiosity for cultures, relationships between things, and self-expression.
Which artist inspires you?
I’m often inspired by artists that blur the boundaries of what it means to be an artist. Great abstract and minimalist artists of Ellsworth Kelly, Sol LeWitt, and Agnes Martin remind me to think big while Allan McCollum and Tucker Nichols bring me back to the sketching and showcasing process. I’m fascinated by Johnny Abram, Paul Kremer, and David Matthew King’s ability to distill ideas to the simplest forms across their works.
With a background in architecture and design, how much does that influence your art?
It inherently shapes and informs every decision in my day-to-day and art practice. From the rigor of each series to the curiosity behind researching previous works by other artists, a viewer might have to think of the spatial experience a viewer might have when seeing the art. I think it manifests in a lot of empathy and structure.
If you can describe your art in one word, what could it be?
Grounded or “conectado a tierra” in Spanish.
Talk about what you are doing with others that are willing to listen. Don’t be afraid to create your seat at your table.
What is your advice to other artists who are just starting?
Create frameworks for yourself. Push ideas in series, let’s say 100 days of 100 drawings. Talk about what you are doing with others that are willing to listen. Attend gallery openings. Say hi to strangers. Share your work with other artists. Don’t be afraid to create your seat at your table.
Where can people find your work?
You can find my work on my Instagram at @atelierstumpo and my site francescostumpo.com/art.
