Micheletti’s palette of musical Hendrix comes in Lagos

By Tajudeen Sowole

After over three decades in Nigeria, Italian, Gigi Micheletti, recently shared his thoughts on people and places in an art exhibition titled Hendrix held at the Consulate General of Italy. Victoria Island, Lagos.

It’s the artist’s gradual steps of making inroad into the Nigerian art space to boost his achievement outside the country.

Expressed in paintings on canvas, some of the works also include the artist’s view of other places outside Nigeria. And being born in Ghana and currently living in Nigeria as well as having traveled across the world, Micheletti’s canvas explains that indeed, the artist is a ‘citizen’ of the world.

One of Gigi Micheletti’s works titled Lovers.

In rendition, Micheletti whose stroke leans towards impressionism and representational imagery bring subjects such as relationship, architecture and ecology into his palette, stressing art’s beautiful interpretation of nature. And quite of aesthetic note is Micheletti’s style of using space. For example in a couple figural titled Lovers, the artist’s style of lacing the subjects below half of the canvas in portrait-size shape lends a stronger communicative perception to the drawing-like paintings of the figures.  

And in whatever situation the environment finds itself, perhaps from the arrogance of man’s attitude, nature appears resilient, so suggests the artist’s work titled Low Tide. It’s a work quite full of ecological interpretation.

At the exhibition, some of the guests could not hide their joy of being privileged to see Micheletti’s art. Irene Fowler, an art enthusiast noted that the artist has a way with “captivating” his subjects, particularly the style of mixing figural with abstraction.

“Micheletti’s work is a perception, the bringing of the sub-conscious into reality, it’ is a dream”. another visitor to the exhibition, Rabah Mudah noted,

Colourful Bold and distinctive” are the words of George Taylor who bought two of the paintings exhibited.

For the artist, the exhibition connects his residence in Nigeria. “I have been living and working in Nigeria for over thirty years, and my experience with the busy life around here keeps me painting as well”, Micheletti said. in addition to having lived in Nigeria for decades, other factors have contributed to the tone of his canvas. in fact, there is musical factor to his inspiration. “Musically I’m inspired by one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century Jimmy Hendrix”

The organizer of the exhibition, Mrs. Mia El Khoury Comazzi said that the exhibition intends to promote Micheletti as an artist in the vibrant Nigerian art scene, with the hope that his art would contribute to the development of the local art. Also,  “to show them his art work, well mixed colors, and the outstanding imagination he had solely put on canvas”.

According to Micheletti’s bio, he was born in Gattinara (Vc) on 29 December, 1953 into a family with strong ties with Ghana, where he spent the first 10 years of his life. 

Micheletti was listed among the artists in one of the most important Italian Art Magazine “ARTE”. One thousand artists participated in the listing, and Micheletti was among the 120 semi finalists del Premio Arte 2013, selected by the editors of “ARTE”, Cairo Editore.