Check Out Fernando Carpaneda’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Fernando Carpaneda.

Hi Fernando , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I come from an Italian family but I was born in Brazil. I had my first exhibition of paintings at the age of 13, in the early ‘80s in Brasilia: the capital of Brazil. I came to New York City by chance. In the late ‘90s, I met “Dumpster”, an American Crust Punk who was on vacation in Brazil. We became friends and I ended up moving to New York and living in the C-Squat on Avenue – C.

C-Squat and CBGB were two very important influences on the creative process of my works. My work has always illustrated the Underground scene, the Punk scene, and the LGBTQIA+ scene. In early 1995, I got in touch with CBGB, and ended up scheduling some exhibitions at CB’s 313 Gallery. A few years later the gallery invited me to participate in an exhibition called “Back to the Bowery”. That brought together some of the remaining artists from Andy Warhol’s famous The Factory, as well as new artists who portrayed the city’s underground scene.

It was a historic exhibition, and where I met Billy Name (He created the design for The Factory, Andy Warhol Superstars, and was Warhol’s photographer) as well as several other artists from the ‘70s. I ended up becoming friends with Billy Name and we stayed in touch until his death in 2016. The CBGB exhibitions definitely opened several doors for me on the city’s art circuit, and it was a turning point in my international career. It was also at CBGB that I met Arturo Vega, we became friends and we stayed in touch until his death in 2013. Arturo invited me to participate in an exhibition called The Bowery Electric Festival (A Tribute to Joey Ramone) with Dee Dee Ramone paintings. I will be forever grateful to have participated in those celebrated exhibitions.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Yes it has been a good journey. I think the difficulties are the same for all artists who want to pursue a professional career. I don’t let difficulties get me down, I always think positively, and I think this is one of the reasons that make me continue on this path. Certain people give up on their dreams, without a fight.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My paintings and sculptures are portraits of what I live, it is where I represent my points of view and my ideals. I usually use three processes for the creation of the paintings: living model, drawing, and photography. The paintings are made with acrylic paint on canvas. In the past I worked with oil painting, however, I had to stop due to allergic reactions with the paint. Working with acrylic paint gave me several options to build my technique and create a perfect finish using transparent layers in the works. My goal with my art is also to show other sides within the LGBTQIA+ culture and in all of society. By that, to open the minds of the audience to other possibilities within gay and contemporary art.

I am proud to continue working with the arts, during all these years, from my first exhibition in 1982, until the last one in 2023, I never stopped.

I think what sets me apart from other artists is being able to express myself across several mediums. I work with sculptures, paintings, and drawings. I try to show in my works: relevant social taboos, often dense, linked to the punk/underground universe or to LGBTQI+ contexts. My works talk about exclusion, belonging, racial, gender, social discrimination, and anti-fascism, especially at this moment. In a world of exclusion, art for me generates dialogue. It doesn’t matter who you are, how old you are, or how innovative you are in society. I highlight ordinary people, natural and real bodies and this brings people closer to my work and, consequently, to ourselves.

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I would like to thank Arturo Vega (The Ramones), Billy Name (Andy Warhol Superstar), Micheline (CBGB Gallery Menager), and my friend “Dumpster” who have always supported me and believed in my work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carpaneda.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carpaneda