(my_space) lounge room Any chance I get to buy art I can afford, I do. I’m all for supporting young talent. It seems to be concentrated above my mantelpiece. SNEAKERS/RECORDS I’m obsessed with ’80s skate culture and hip-hop. I’m just a sucker for pop culture – I have been since I was a kid.
hunt & gather
ART GALLERY (right and below) These are pieces from my current exhibition, The Eternal Quest for Fuzzy Mountain. BEDROOM (opposite page) My art has a fluorescent Victoriana vibe, as seen in these Italian posters.
STYLE steals
WHO Artist Maurice Golotta (msggallery.com.au) WHERE Brighton, Melbourne WHAT Converted antique store housing new neon treasures and nostalgic collectables
MISSONI HOME sheeting, from $375, spenceandlyda.com.au
When I first saw this space I thought it was just open for inspection. It was big and awesome. But the next thing I knew, the auction had started and my hand was up. My heart was pounding and I was thinking, “What have I done?” Before I knew it, I had the winning bid and it was mine! I live, work and have my gallery here. I converted the existing antique shop into an art gallery, and extended the shed to form what is now my studio. Tucked in between is my house, which had lemon walls, ’70s-style curtains and weird architraves before I made some cosmetic changes. I’m a collector. I don’t want to say hoarder. My collection has very much been a product of my generation; I’m an ’80s kid. My sneaker collection is ridiculous, and I have thousands of records that I’ve been amassing since I was 10 years old. I’ve spent heaps on them, but I’ve re-used them in some of my artwork. So I kind of got my money’s worth. Skateboards came later. I think the older I got, the more I tried to find a balance between my adult life and letting go of adolescence. I enjoy going on the hunt and became sort of obsessed for a while. I still collect, but I’ve slowed down – it gets expensive and I’m running out of space! The sneaker/music/skateboard room is like my playpen. It’s really inspiring and has a good energy – it reminds me of buying my first record or pair of Nikes. It also provides a physical separation from my music and visual-art worlds. While the music will always be there, it does take a back seat, especially because of the gallery. About half the art on the walls is mine. It’s either stuff I don’t want to get rid of, or exhibition pieces that haven’t sold. I’m inspired by old-fashioned Italian posters, which I suppose are a graphic representation of my heritage and my way of paying homage to it. I’ve been collecting sugar skulls and artefacts since visiting Mexico five years ago, where I became obsessed with the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festival. There are also pieces by my sister Franca, a photographer. I cherish anything she gives me. There’s still a lot I want to do to my place, but I’ll be happy just to keep collecting beautiful things.
3 8 | sundaystyle.com.au
HOLY KITSCH tin heart, $80, holykitsch.com.au
ZAZZLE Sicily print, $25.45, zazzle.com.au
Edited by Katherine Chatfield. Words: Carli Philips. Photography: Derek Swalwell. Styling: Beck Simon
ART STUDIO My studio is a really personal space. It’s messy, but it’s my sanctuary. When I go in and shut the door, I’m very productive. I try to spend as much time in there as possible.
This home studio and gallery is brimming with artistic inspiration
i can’t live without…
POLAROIDs My family are a big influence and support. This is everyone at my Para los Santos exhibition at MSG Gallery.
RINGS My sister Fiorina is a jeweller and I’m the lucky recipient of many of her designs. She’s a bit tribal-slashRoman. I love this coral skull.
PLAYING CARDS I collect these on my travels – they’re from different regions of Italy and remind me of my dad. Aesthetically, they influence my work.
RECORDS Hip-hop music got me into collecting records at about 10 years old. It’s impossible to pick just one favourite.
PAINT PENS I use these a lot as an artistic medium. They’re often the main source of my work.