We are sharing our recent interview with Italian fine artist, fashion photographer and director Jacopo Manfren.
Pro Media Mag : First of all please introduce yourself to our readers.
Jacopo Manfren : Hello! My name is Jacopo Manfren, I am an Italian artist, relocated from Milan to Los Angeles few years ago. In my career I have gone through different disciplines all around the visual world: after a Master’s Degree in Art History, I have started as a fashion photographer, that still remains my main occupation, exploring the realm of motion pictures and fine arts as well.
Pro Media Mag : Who or what inspired you to get into this industry?
Jacopo Manfren : I have started in the late 90’s as an assistant of a fashion photographer, few years after, I became a photographer myself. I worked for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, I moved to LA and directed some movies. Fine Arts came in the same time I moved here, inspired by this city that offers so many inspirations and allows you to grab whatever you want. Art History has always been my main inspiration (I am very proud of my Italian roots) and I have always used it as a reference in my own creations. From where I was a kid I have always been interested in fashion and photography, collecting magazines and images all around me, until I realized I had so many ideas that I wanted to create as well.
Pro Media Mag : Tell us about your recent works; any particular favorite?
Jacopo Manfren : I tend to be pretty hard with myself and getting tired of my last piece pretty quickly, so I move to the next; if I have to pick my favorite ones I would probably say “A nice round of cards”, for the noirish atmosphere and the story that can be read looking at the cards and the eyes of the girl, or “Woman in blue room”, for the 70’s feeling in the wallpaper, the lamp and the fashion.
Pro Media Mag : What kind of responses have you received from the art community?
Jacopo Manfren : People that appreciate my work usually see a classic and nostalgic feeling, dreamy at the same time in it, that is very much how I am, so I am glad when it happens, it means people see a style recognizable in my pieces.
Pro Media Mag : Fashion photography, direction and painting, how do you manage it all and what’s your favorite?
Jacopo Manfren : I would say that these disciplines constantly evolve from each other and feed together with the same ideas and themes. It is pretty much for me to move from one to the other one cause I always put the same style in them, anything I am doing. After almost twenty years of photography, it has moved down my list and Fine Arts are at the top now.
Pro Media Mag : What’s the key to your success?
Jacopo Manfren : Having studied and built a strong culture that I am proud of and keeping my style, even if it is out of trend. That is the part I like most.
Pro Media Mag : What’s the best part of being an artist, particularly a visual artist?
Jacopo Manfren : To dream a lot… dream is always better than reality! Stephane Mallarme’ wrote a beautiful poem about that in his “Afternoon of a faune”, where the protagonist feels more rewarding napping the warm sun of the afternoon and dreaming of dryads in the flowers instead of chasing them. And then create images with your dreams of course.
Pro Media Mag : What’s the biggest achievement in your career thus far?
Jacopo Manfren : I got success with photography when I was very young and started shooting for Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar, those were very excited times and I felt it very rewarding. Nowadays I am more easy going, I may not have found a real achievement to grab… I would surely be happy to have an exposition of my paintings.
Pro Media Mag : Are you working on any new projects?
Jacopo Manfren : My last painting in progress is a woman in a wintery landscape, kinda different from my usual, with an Hitchcock feeling in it, maybe from the clothes and hairstyle and the atmosphere of Vertigo. I am enjoying it and I hope it will get to my expectations! It doesn’t always happen but that is the frustrating fun of art.
For further information and art you can visit https://www.instagram.com/jaygoestohollywood/
