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Samo: My time at La Serena was about letting go of control and embracing a looser approach, which I definitely needed, and am very grateful for.
Samo: This residency was particular and unique. The environment itself was very serene and inspiring: the trees, the Middle Eastern art that surrounded me and encouraged me, the colours, and the energy. It all contributed to a sense of presence that drove me to work from a different internal place—somewhere familiar but less controlled.
Samo: Coming from working on a big show for months, where I was locked in my cave, very controlled with my technique, and strict with my concepts, I felt out of place and unsure of what I’d create in Forte. I felt like a child in a room with crayons and a blank canvas and mind, which can be both intimidating and liberating.
Samo: I spent the first few days sketching and painting loosely, but I felt disconnected. Once I left the studio and immersed myself in the surrounding cities and towns, strolling into museums, painted chapels, and antique shops, I felt more like myself again. Collecting objects that inspired me to paint on them, I merged past and present into my ongoing “memento mori” practice/series. Alongside the miniature object paintings, I started experimenting with charcoals and watered-down acrylics on paper and canvas. I sketched my surrounding landscapes merged with dreamscapes, wilting in fantastical yet minimal colours, always incorporating figurative shapes, faces, and souls somewhere as it’s my go-to.
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Samo: Italian Renaissance artists such as Bernini and Botticelli have significantly shaped my style and creative techniques with their time-laboured, masterful, and maximalist approach. In everything I do, I try to nod to the old masters and what they can teach us. The antique objects and the history they carry with them also inform my work; as I reappropriate them from the past into the contemporary, I try to keep their historical charm intact and spotlight it.
Samo: I initially intended to create work from a more spiritual place, to feel freer with my hand and mind, loosening up as I create. I guess I fulfilled that in a way that I didn’t particularly plan but followed through with intuition as my guide, focusing on sketching and painting while embracing a sense of freedom versus control. Balancing my regular practice with new approaches.
Samo: Forte as a town is beautiful and quaint, but I felt more connected to the town of Pietra Santa and its unique authenticity as if it were stuck in time. Charmed by Pietra Santa and its historical richness, I felt more aligned with it aesthetically and energetically. I also had the pleasure of visiting Nocchi and its vast nature, with towering pine and cypress trees scattered across mountainscapes. Picking fresh fruit off trees and eating hand-to-mouth was a delight. I visited the beautiful art store in Viareggio and was awed by its pigment range and traditional materials. After a long day of painting, Forte itself was lovely to bike around, absorbing the sun, sea, and mountains all at once, eating the best of Italian cuisine in humble cafes and trattorias. After watching sunsets at the port, I’d come back into my cave (the studio) and paint into the night—a treat and a contrast to the Dubai lifestyle. -
Samo: I went to Botero’s church in Pietra Santa, and it was incredible to see his version of Heaven and Hell in the flesh. I also had the pleasure of visiting Florence for the day, seeing my favourite Botticelli paintings “Spring” and “The Birth of Venus” in person at the Uffizi Museum. Hurting my neck as I zoomed into each grotesque of the museum’s ceilings, I took in their unique features in every corner. Frolicking in the sculpture square nearby, studying each marble muscle and dent softly carved into stone. Scouring antique shops for objects. I finally saw “The Deposition from the Cross” by Pontormo in person in a small chapel, which floored me with its candy-cane-coloured tempera drapings. Overall, it was a special experience, but that day in Florence was a much-needed inspiration recharge.
Samo: I’ve been working on a couple of shows this year, all very different but within the realm of painting in the style of magical realism/hyper surrealism. From objects and antiques to large canvases and wood panels, there is always a story lurking behind each facade, carefully composed to throw the viewer off their initial observations. Some things are personal, and some are more allegorical, using fiction to address reality. The escapism aspect will always lead you back to an internal place of questioning.
Samo: I ended the residency not with an object or sketch but with a large painting that summarises my time there. A painting I called In Search of Destiny. It’s inspired by Tuscan landscapes, Youssef Nabil, and my self-portrait series titled Dante’s Dream shot in the Cayman Islands last year. This piece encapsulates a sense of peace, isolation, and inevitability. Drifting into the present moment through a more liberated and loose approach, along with a duo-chrome colour palette, this piece emanates serenity through simplicity.
Samo: One of the main takeaways from this experience is that it's important to take time—time to work on something not gallery or show-related to remind myself why I started in the first place. Be present and embrace every second. Learn to connect to your intuition and let it guide you, listen to it. Sometimes a change of environment is exactly what you need to remind yourself of who you are and where you belong, what you are meant to do.
Samo: I’m working on a few projects set to open later this year, which I’m really looking forward to. Right now, I’m finishing up a series of paintings for my solo show opening in Korea this September. Beyond that, I’m focused on staying present and tackling each project one at a time. Stay tuned!
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