partenza per la caccia r by Stefano Guerrera
La Venaria Reale gives the creative access to its art collection for his latest project
Italian creative Stefano Guerrera has built up a reputation for creating witty art history memes that play on our everyday contemporary concerns. Posting them on his Instagram page and his Facebook page, Se i quadri potessero parlare (If the Paintings Could Talk), which has over one million followers, Stefano highlights how paintings from hundreds of years ago can still resonate with a modern audience.
His latest project sees him collaborating with Google Arts & Culture and former royal residence La Venaria Reale near Turin, Italy. Stefano was given access to La Venaria Reale’s impressive art collection which houses works by artists such as Francesco de Mura and Paolo Veronese. The creative was then given free reign to add his signature captions to the works and update them for the 21st century.
Here Stefano talks about his creative process and La Venaria Reale explains why meme culture and art history is a match made in heaven.
Stefano Guerrera
When did you first start connecting meme culture with art history?
I started years ago, I was unemployed with lots of spare time, so I tried to keep myself busy. I came up with the idea to write captions for Fine Art masterpieces because they actually speak to you, and painters have been aware of this since the beginning. Often you can find yourself in a painting or find similarities to your everyday life.
I mixed all my ideas together and Se i quadri potessero parlare (If the Paintings Could Talk) was born. I went through many changes in those initial years, first I used Snapchat and Facebook, now I use Instagram, but the aim is still the same, what I do is “Art-taiment”. Art speaks our everyday life, so if you keep an eye on it you can come up with a funny meme.
polissena r by Stefano Guerrera
What's your process for creating these works? What comes first the image or the caption?
It depends. Here’s a story: Last summer I was sunbathing, I was focused on relaxing when a boy – a total stranger – screamed something that made me laugh for hours. Inspiration comes from real life in general, so the process is dual: sometimes I find piece of art, other times I think of the caption.
Can you explain what it was like to work with La Venaria Reale on the residency?
Choosing works of art straight from the galleries of the museum was a dream come true, most of all because Venaria put a big effort in explaining the historical context behind the paintings, which allowed me to translate them into pop culture and exist on social media.
parole in confidenza r by Stefano Guerrera
What's the best part of the work you do?
People, that's it. I learn everyday something new. I feel blessed that I'm connected with beautiful minds.
What are the challenges of what you do?
Being true to myself is not easy. But there is an exchange between me and my followers on Instagram. I also try to pay respect to the art I use, even if though it’s trying to make people laugh.
Your works are shared on Instagram, what benefit is there to sharing your work on a platform like this?
Awareness! I have a voice so I use it, but wisely, I hope. Instastories, and Snapchat before that, changed the game completely. They are powerful tools as they give art the possibility to tell stories in a completely different way.
La Musa Urania, olio su tela, consorzio delle Residenze Reali Sabaude – Reggia di Venaria Reale in affidamento da Valcasotto, Garessio (CN), Castello di Casotto Antiveduto Grammatica 1620 ca. Meme by Stefano Guerrera. (1620)
La Venaria Reale
In what ways did the museum work with Stefano Guerrera on this project?
Stefano Guerrera visited the museum halls which gave him the chance to discover the history of Sabauda residency and the art collections stored in there.
Later, he was given, based on the artworks chosen, a collection of brief historical-artistic datasheets with some useful information and funny or interesting facts that could help him with his work.
polissena r by Stefano Guerrera
Why do you think connecting meme culture with art history is such a successful combination?
Meme are a simple and informal language, and can be a useful tool to communicate reality, and using complex and historical paintings is a way to make that more accessible.
The chance to use this kind of language with the masterpieces can spark some curiosity in people to actually come and visit the museum where these works live, and discover something more about them.
maria giovanna r by Stefano Guerrera
