Carpazine: How did you end up on Long Island? Tell us a little about your early career and the influences that led you to where you are today.
FC: I come from an Italian family; I was born in Brazil but have lived on Long Island for the past 29 years. My first house was in Massapequa Park, where I lived with an African American family who has influenced my work to this day. Afterward, I moved to Merrick and have been living in Freeport.
My art is deeply influenced by the punk rock scene, LGBTQIA+ themes, and African American culture, carrying the spirit of rebellion, resilience, and identity. Although I didn’t grow up on Long Island, moving here immersed me in a diverse community. Freeport, in particular, is rich in culture, which has shaped my perspective as an artist. I’ve always loved Lou Reed, and since he grew up in Freeport, it holds a special meaning for me. In early 1995, I connected with CBGB and ended up scheduling exhibitions at CB’s 313 Gallery, the CBGB art gallery. One of the exhibitions, "Back to the Bowery," brought together some of the remaining artists from Andy Warhol's The Factory, as well as new artists who depicted the city's underground scene. It was a historic exhibition, and it was where I met Billy Name, who designed The Factory and was Warhol’s photographer, along with other artists from the 70s. Lou Reed and Billy Name were best friends, and Billy would often share stories about Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground and Andy Warhol. This further deepened my connection to Freeport, which will always have a special place in my heart. I became close friends with Billy Name, and we remained in touch until his death in 2016.
Carpazine: You had an exhibition of your work in Times Square, right? How was that exhibition?
FC: I exhibited paintings in Times Square. The paintings were portraits of friends and acquaintances, my own superstars. The works were shown on giant bright LED screens and were displayed on the screens of NASDAQ, Thomson Reuters, Clear Channel Spectacolor, and A2a MEDIA’s Port Authority. The opening of the event was attended by singer Twin Shadow, DJ’s AndrewAndrew, and musician Questlove from the band The Roots. The host of the night was Jimmy Fallon of NBC's Late Night show and the event was organized by Art Takes Times Square. It was a unique experience.
Carpazine: How was it to have your sculptures in the film The Nearest Human Being?
FC: It was a fantastic experience to see my sculptures in director Marco Coppola’s film. It won an award for best feature at the Manhattan Film Festival, and it is incredible. While filming, my friend: actor Robert W. Smith, made the connection between me and director Marco Coppola. The director liked my work, and he included my sculptures in the movie. Also, it was great to meet Charlie Hofheimer. I met him by accident when I arrived to leave my sculpture on the film set. So, I saw this guy there, and said, “Hi, how are you?” and shook his hand and talked to him a little bit. It was only after that that I realized it was Charlie Hofheimer. LOL. He was very cool. Charlie is in two of my favorite films. Black Hawk Down and The Village. I was happy to meet him.
Carpazine: How do you view the reactions from the conservative part of society in relation to artistic manifestations in the contemporary world and issues such as sexuality and discrimination?
FC: Art aims to promote freedom of expression and knowledge, however, not everyone has the knowledge and sensitivity to understand or discuss the subject. Conservatism and lack of information are recurrent. Our society is formed by people with different realities and lifestyles and we have no right to compel people to follow our reality, just as no one has the right to impose theirs on us. Human sexuality is complex and it is not up to anyone to judge it. I know people who have been sexually abused by pastors, priests, and family members and they obviously don't see the world the same way I do - If an artist's sexuality bothers you, think twice before criticizing or discriminating against it , because not everyone has had the same life as you.
Carpazine: How did you feel when you found out that one of your works would be auctioned at Sotheby’s? Also, could you tell us a little bit about your project with the Cathedral of the Incarnation?
FC: When I received the email from the New York Academy of Art informing me that one of my paintings would be auctioned at Sotheby’s, I was speechless and excited. The painting, titled Jesus Christ, reflects my relationship with religion, spirituality, and the human condition. While the title is simple, the image challenges viewers to reconsider their ideas about Christ and humanity. I aim for people to confront their preconceptions about what is holy, divine, and human.
The project with the Cathedral of the Incarnation, where I created the Stations of the Cross, has been deeply fulfilling. The series of miniature sculptures, each depicting a scene from Christ’s final journey, was embraced by the church, despite the tension between my more provocative work and traditional religious views. It’s something I’d consider doing more of in the future. The Stations of the Cross are currently exhibited at The George Mercer, Jr. Memorial School of Theology in the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, in Garden City.
Carpazine: Tell me about your sculptures, you did some reinterpretations with classic art scenes. What was your inspiration to reinterpret Rodin's sculpture (The Age of Bronze)?
FC: I always loved Rodin's sculptures, and I always thought of making a hyper-realistic version of one of his works and I ended up being inspired by the work The Age of Bronze. My version was inspired by Keanu Reeves. I turned him into Punk Rodin. I have always loved Keanu Reeves, I like his character, his personality, and attitude as a person. I was inspired by a phase in his movie My Own Private Idaho which is one of my favorites. Eroticism for me is something natural and I show that in my works.
Carpazine: How do you see the role of tattoos in Punk Rodin?
FC: Some tattoos on Punk Rodin sculpture refer to the relationship between Rodin and Camile Claudel.
Carpazine: Homoerotic Art has always been part of the underground in the 20th century, recently it started to boom and to be part of the mainstream. How do you see this interaction between amateurs and queer art? Not all nude is art … or is it?
FC: I think that interaction and the boom in homoerotic material is happening in the same proportion as the boom that abstract, geometric or conceptual painting had. At the beginning of these movements they also suffered from the interaction of amateurs with contemporary art … not all contemporary art work is art … or is it?