STEFANO CAPOZZI
I’m Stefano Capozzi. I was born 39 years ago in Ferrara, a small, heavenly city in northern Italy.
I had a lively and happy childhood, surrounded by caring parents and brothers who always tried to guide me on the right path. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain.
In 1996, when I was around 11 years old and in eighth grade, I received the biggest wake-up call of my life: graffiti. I am not here to give a lecture on spray-painted artwork. Rather, I want to explain its evolution and how it influenced my journey.
Let me clarify. I was fortunate to choose a job that allowed me to continue pursuing my reason for living. By the age of 15, I was already working. I attended school in the mornings, worked shifts in restaurants in the evenings, and as soon as my shift ended, I went out to paint on trains. While kids my age were given small allowances by their parents, I was earning real money. That allowed me to buy my first spray paint cans.
My ambition quickly led me to dream of other destinations. I envisioned places with luxury hotels where I could refine my appreciation for beauty and art while occasionally creating paintings for guests. Then, in 2006, someone asked me, “Why don’t you try exhibiting some of your paintings here?” That was the turning point.
I created my first eight works completely at random. I used branches and leaves glued onto the canvas, then spray-painted, incorporating snail shells and natural residues. I remember painting the background, placing fresh leaves on top, repainting the piece, and waiting a few days. As the leaves dried, they would create the artwork on their own.
As the years passed, in every place I visited, I felt the need to leave a mark with my graffiti. It will always be the love of my life. Despite newspaper articles, lectures, layoffs, and nights spent at the police precinct, no one could stop me from loving my art and my passion.
The raging river inside me needed tributaries to contain its strength. In 2014, after eight years of traveling across Italy and the world, I turned down a position as head maître at a five-star hotel. Instead, I stayed in my beloved Ferrara, got a studio, and decided that painting had to be my first and greatest love.
I continued working in restaurants, a job I will always be proud of. Balancing all my passions, my loves, my works, my art was never easy. An artist, as we know, shines with their own light but also with reflected light. Graffiti, work, friends, paintings, music, women, my wonderful family, and travels around the world were all part of me.
Then, in 2015, the real turning point arrived. I began creating paintings that, first and foremost, I truly appreciated. That newfound confidence became my greatest asset. I kept going, experimenting, and slowly started defining my own distinctive style. It was a style without references or inspirations, born entirely from my mind, without overthinking it.
Today, when I look back at what I have created and accomplished, I am deeply satisfied.
One key aspect that sets me apart from many other artists is that I was born without envy. I look at others with admiration, without overanalyzing. Talent plays a role, and talent cannot be bought. It is innate.
It may sound simple, but it is the foundation of my mindset. Every time I start a new piece, I begin with a vague idea, sketching out an initial thought. Little by little, it takes shape. I always decide on the title once the work is finished. While creating, I have no clear plan. It feels like taking a painting class every time, a class with my imaginary art teacher.
The images you see are the result of pure spontaneity, a stark contrast to artists who trace or use projectors. In that moment, my mind tells me something, and I do it. A second later, it tells me something else, so I erase and redo. It is a constant process of creating and recreating until that moment arrives when I say, “It is finished!” And yet, like every time, I am never truly satisfied.
I had a lively and happy childhood, surrounded by caring parents and brothers who always tried to guide me on the right path. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain.
In 1996, when I was around 11 years old and in eighth grade, I received the biggest wake-up call of my life: graffiti. I am not here to give a lecture on spray-painted artwork. Rather, I want to explain its evolution and how it influenced my journey.
Let me clarify. I was fortunate to choose a job that allowed me to continue pursuing my reason for living. By the age of 15, I was already working. I attended school in the mornings, worked shifts in restaurants in the evenings, and as soon as my shift ended, I went out to paint on trains. While kids my age were given small allowances by their parents, I was earning real money. That allowed me to buy my first spray paint cans.
My ambition quickly led me to dream of other destinations. I envisioned places with luxury hotels where I could refine my appreciation for beauty and art while occasionally creating paintings for guests. Then, in 2006, someone asked me, “Why don’t you try exhibiting some of your paintings here?” That was the turning point.
I created my first eight works completely at random. I used branches and leaves glued onto the canvas, then spray-painted, incorporating snail shells and natural residues. I remember painting the background, placing fresh leaves on top, repainting the piece, and waiting a few days. As the leaves dried, they would create the artwork on their own.
As the years passed, in every place I visited, I felt the need to leave a mark with my graffiti. It will always be the love of my life. Despite newspaper articles, lectures, layoffs, and nights spent at the police precinct, no one could stop me from loving my art and my passion.
The raging river inside me needed tributaries to contain its strength. In 2014, after eight years of traveling across Italy and the world, I turned down a position as head maître at a five-star hotel. Instead, I stayed in my beloved Ferrara, got a studio, and decided that painting had to be my first and greatest love.
I continued working in restaurants, a job I will always be proud of. Balancing all my passions, my loves, my works, my art was never easy. An artist, as we know, shines with their own light but also with reflected light. Graffiti, work, friends, paintings, music, women, my wonderful family, and travels around the world were all part of me.
Then, in 2015, the real turning point arrived. I began creating paintings that, first and foremost, I truly appreciated. That newfound confidence became my greatest asset. I kept going, experimenting, and slowly started defining my own distinctive style. It was a style without references or inspirations, born entirely from my mind, without overthinking it.
Today, when I look back at what I have created and accomplished, I am deeply satisfied.
One key aspect that sets me apart from many other artists is that I was born without envy. I look at others with admiration, without overanalyzing. Talent plays a role, and talent cannot be bought. It is innate.
It may sound simple, but it is the foundation of my mindset. Every time I start a new piece, I begin with a vague idea, sketching out an initial thought. Little by little, it takes shape. I always decide on the title once the work is finished. While creating, I have no clear plan. It feels like taking a painting class every time, a class with my imaginary art teacher.
The images you see are the result of pure spontaneity, a stark contrast to artists who trace or use projectors. In that moment, my mind tells me something, and I do it. A second later, it tells me something else, so I erase and redo. It is a constant process of creating and recreating until that moment arrives when I say, “It is finished!” And yet, like every time, I am never truly satisfied.
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