Buffalo Yellowstone
THE PHOTOGRAPHY of
Claudio DaNapoli Interview by Harryet Candee I feel your enthusiasm of the world through your photographic images, Claudio, and I wanted to ask you, of all the ways to communicate life and its history, what was the main reason you were steered into photographing our world? Art has always been in my blood: My mother is a painter, my father is an art collector and my grandfather was a noted goldsmith. I was destined to do something in the world of art. As a child, both my parents worked, consequently, starting at a young age I was permitted to wander my home city of Naples, Italy alone. Because I am a nerd through and through, I didn’t get into trouble on the streets but instead was drawn to the beauty of the city’s
churches and museums. My afternoons and weekends were filled with awe as I strolled amidst works of the great masters. Frustratingly, I did not have the ability to paint or sculpt or even draw a stick figure. Therefore, when I discovered photography, I was enamored with the idea of being able to “creatively express myself” since the pencil had declared war on me. From that time on, life moved quite quickly, and I moved right along with it. When I was unexpectedly offered the opportunity to spend 6months learning English in the United States I could not refuse. Over 30 years later, I continue to thrive in my adopted country. Over the decades in the USA, I have found jobs, changed jobs; found homes, changed
34 •AUGUST INTO SEPTEMBER 2021 THE ARTFUL MIND
homes; found a wife --kept her. In hindsight, I note that my attraction to images has followed me everywhere. I have self-studied, and still am, in graphic design, worked as a web designer and created videos that would market other people’s efforts. For some unknown reason, however, I never considered making a living out of images or art. It was, after all, merely a hobby. Then I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis! Suddenly aware that my life could degenerate without notice, I sought to ensure that every moment until that time was spent pursing what what I loved. If I didn’t jump now, it may be too late in the future. Hand-in-hand, my wife and I launched ourselves into the unknown. We sold our home and everything in it to travel full-
