Mattia Cuttini : A Curious Observer at the Intersection of Design and Blockchain
“Since 1979, I observe the world with curiosity”
This is the philosophy of Mattia Cuttini, an Italian artist, whose interdisciplinary practice sits at the crossroads of graphic design and blockchain technology.
The Art of Curiosity: Mattia Cuttini’s Journey from Analog to Digital Mastery
Born in 1979, Mattia Cuttini’s formative years coincided with the dawn of the digital era. By the late 90s, as society began to steep itself in technology, Cuttini embarked on his artistic journey — a path destined to make a significant contribution to the digital art scene.
By 1999, Mattia Cuttini’s early footsteps were firmly planted in the world of design. Eventually, as the new millennium unfolded, he tapped into the rhythm of the digital age, experimenting with music, performance art, and ultimately becoming involved with the emerging field of artificial intelligence.
His initial ventures into artistry were visual and auditory—playing as a keyboardist in local bands. Soon after, he began experimenting with social media platforms and photocopy machines as mediums of artistic expression, drawing inspiration from his family’s history in photocopy business. During this period, he gradually created visual pieces that reflected both his personal journey and rapidly changing technologies.
A pivotal moment in his artistic journey occurred in 2017 when he launched a Kickstarter campaign, thereby entering the CryptoArt scene.
A year later, on September 22nd, 2018, he minted his first work, “Basura Volume 2“; since then, his art has graced platforms including SuperRare, KnownOrigin, Async Art, and Medium, among others.
“Basura stands for trash in spanish. In 2014 I’ve used a trash bag over a scanner. Glitches are obtained shaking the scanner during the operation. Analog glitches for a digital future.”
__ Mattia Cuttini
Mattia Cuttini: Creative Process, Techniques, and Materials
At the core of Mattia Cuttini’s work lies the fusion of the natural and the artificial and the metamorphosis of one into the other. This concept manifests in both his visual and acoustic pieces, each emerging from a series of diverse interventions.
Often self-characterizing as a “rough” artist, Cuttini’s style echoes a raw, unfiltered essence, merging the traditional and digital to embody two facets of the same artistic prism; his works, bearing witness to his fascination with the world around him, drawing inspiration from his environment, nature, technology, and his relentless quest for knowledge.
Central to Mattia Cuttini’s artistic practice—which straddles graphic design and blockchain technology—is his engagement with analog, digital, and sound media. But more than anything, his unique “rubberstamp system” which involves using modular stamps and grid structures on paper or canvas.
With this tactile, yet flexible, technique, he demonstrates his mastery of combining the physical and digital realms; the imprints left by the stamps enhance the intimate bond between the creator and the piece, and to its viewers.
This distinctive technique is powerfully exemplified in “RS-2-000 Test” an embodiment of his experimental approach and his capacity to animate the inanimate.
Mattia Cuttini perceives traditional materials and digital tools as two sides of the same artistic coin, mutually influencing and enriching each other in a perpetual dance of creation and recreation. Accordingly, the physical and digital elements of his work constantly interchange, forming a compelling dialogue that mirrors the era we inhabit.
From the post-storm ambience hum in “Yellow Pulsing Map” to the photocopied collage technique in “Filmhead,” Cuttini’s art covers a wide spectrum of subject matters.
Every piece serves as a snapshot of his life, encapsulating fragments of his musical experiences, his intrigue for technology, and his passion for the evolving relationship between humans and machines.
His affinity for photography and filmography is conspicuous in pieces like “Additive Colors 1” and “Filmhead“. The former—a tribute to a Twitter conversation—is a stunning Polaroid-induced color synthesis reminiscent of the double exposure Polaroid colorpack II. In contrast, “Filmhead” employs the collage technique to portray a roll film bursting from a subject’s head, delivering a captivating visual commentary.
The ‘Rough’ Aesthetic: Embracing Complexity and Curiosity in Cuttini’s Creative Journey
In essence, Mattia Cuttini’s art is the product of a series of intricate interventions, reflecting his self-described “rough” style. This approach continues to evolve as he constantly embraces imperfections and experiments with new styles and themes.
His creations unfold a story that alternates between the digital and the physical, the artificial and the natural. Each piece is a testament to his audacious approach and his steadfast belief in the power of curiosity.
As we navigate the world of Mattia Cuttini, we too, undertake a curiosity-driven journey—a voyage in a world where art is not merely a mirror reflecting reality but a window proffering a novel way to perceive it.
fakewhale
Founded in 2021, Fakewhale advocates the digital art market's evolution. Viewing NFT technology as a container for art, and leveraging the expansive scope of digital culture, Fakewhale strives to shape a new ecosystem in which art and technology become the starting point, rather than the final destination.
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