Giorgio Pratolongo (IT)

Giorgio Pratolongo (IT)
Text written by GHA

“The black and white ballpoint pen drawings by Italian artist Giorgio Pratolongo portray detailed scenes from the typical city life of Genova where he lives. Depictions of crowded, restless streets invite the audience to get to know his hometown, Genova. The workers, policemen and garbage collectors along with the local population direct the narrative in this series.  “

An illustrative impression is roused by the monochrome color palette and the boldness of the lines, as if it were created for a newspaper or a comic strip. The frontal positioning of the crowded scenes shows references to historical scenarios of a classical tableau. Narrative connections between the works are generated by the descriptive titles and the recurring street scenery. For example, the question remains open as to whether the man in the wheelchair, who is found by the police in a presumably unconscious state, was injured by the trio of thugs depicted in “Trippelganger”.

Giorgio Pratolongo (IT)

The viewer is invited to explore the different moods and actions of the locals who shape the atmosphere of the city; individuals stare at the viewer as if they have been photographed unwantedly, and surveillance cameras and police presence reinforce the sense that these individuals are being watched in their surroundings. It is clear that, despite some challenging associations, there is a great sense of humor and a profound love of the city in these works. Each face represents a unique emotion, often grotesque, sometimes jovial, yet there remains a sense of uniformity among the figures. Depicted with furrowed brows, mocking mouths and expressive poses, the characters appear as cartoonish exaggerations. The street scenes with clutched bottles and crowds of people on the sidewalk conjures a typically noisy Italian undertone – you can almost hear the discussions.

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