Illustratorsinfashion: Guglielmo Castelli

Friday, 25 May 2012

Guglielmo Castelli

"I don’t know if I’ll be an illustrator or an artist, if I’m gonna work in a team or by myself; the only thing I know for sure is that I have to create, to animate worlds or for me it will be the end.

We artists are incredibly egocentric."

Excerpt from interview with Jou Jou Villeroy.

This quote recalls a recent discussion I had with someone over the differences between defining an artist or an illustrator. What are the different definitions and how are they interchangeable? The main fundamental difference is that an artist creates work for themselves, and an illustrator creates work for clients. However this casts a grey area over how you would define an illustrator producing 'personal work', but urgh, I feel that discussion needs a post on it's own! Eithey way, it's fair to say that regardless of the purpose, the finished piece should speak for itself.

(Looks from Prada Fall Winter 2010.)

A personal favourite, and great insight into Castelli's process and perception.

Guglielmo's work certainly evokes a more fine art approach, and despite being a

regular contributor for Vogue Italia's website, he produces a large amont of solo material. At just 24 it's intimidating how much he has produced and in such quality, already planning his third solo exhibition.

The tortured twisted figures of his solo work and the play on perspective are of course reminiscient of Francis Bacon's work, but the first time I saw his work I was reminded of Yoshitomo Nara, the hugely successful Japanese pop artist. Flat areas of bold colour and a general sense of isolation and melancholy are all similar running themes, and the characters that hover between a state of child and adulthood create a vision both surreal and engaging. I actually spotted a photo on Guglielmo's tumblr showing one of Nara's works in the background, so it's safe assume there is some influence or inspiration going on there.

While some of the figures in his solo work appear tortured, their faces obscured, hidden and facing away, the characters in his fashion directed works are lighter in mood, less contorted and even occasionally pleased and smiling. Prada and Comme Des Garcons seem to be his favourite collections to interpret, but as you can see beneath, his work for Vogue Italia's site has seen him illustrate a varied range of designers.

I'm a big fan of his play on proportions and soft colour palette, and at 24 he has already created a strong identity which will no doubt continue to develop. Make sure you follow his site here.

All images from Guglielmo's site and Vogue Italia's.