A Work of Art at Max Brown Missori
Take us on your creative journey, from where it all started – to where you are now.
Claudia Fuggetti
I started taking photos of my hometown, Taranto, at 14 and held my first exhibition by 17. When people from around the world responded to my work, I knew photography was my passion. After earning a degree in Cultural Heritage Studies, I pursued a master’s in Photography and Visual Design at NABA in Milan with a scholarship. I then worked as a photographer and photo editor for an Italian art magazine. Later, I graduated with honors in Digital Cultures from the Brera Academy of Fine Arts.
Alex Valentina
I studied visual arts for many years, alongside dedicating significant time to a musical project during my design studies. Over 10 years in the music world taught me the art of effective communication—choosing the right tools, what to include or exclude, and how communication style influences perception. My training began in a blend of arts, diverse audiences, and varied language dynamics. Recently, I’ve shifted focus to visual arts, exploring digital artwork and photography, often blending the two.
Your artwork is showcased in Max Brown Missori. Can you share more about your style and how it came to be?
Claudia Fuggetti
I exhibited my project “Unveiling the Darkness” at Max Brown Missori, part of my 2020-2021 series “Hot Zone.” Inspired by the brain’s dream center, this work began during a tough time in late 2019 when I struggled with insomnia and anxiety. My vivid dreams blurred with reality, and I became obsessed with recreating them visually.
Alex Valentina
The artwork at Max Brown Missori, created with set designer Valentina Micol, is a real photograph. I enjoy exploring different states of matter—liquid, solid, alive, and dead—and capturing chemical reactions that produce unique colors and artifacts. My fascination with patterns and textures knows no bounds.
Where do you find inspiration?
Claudia Fuggetti
I find inspiration in books, my life experiences, and what’s happening in the world. Wassily Kandinsky and Claude Monet also deeply influence me.
Alex Valentina
Nature’s biochemical processes inspire everything I do as an artist. I’m fascinated by the cycle of growth and decay, how every cell breaks down, and how organic matter decomposes, recomposes, and creates new life, this really captivates me.
What does the future hold for you and your art? Do you have any upcoming projects or initiatives you’d like to share?
Claudia Fuggetti
The future of my art is closely tied to my roots and environmental issues. I’m working on projects that are both photographic and social, including creating a multifunctional library/space with a collective I founded in Taranto. I’m also focusing on my family archive – tracing my great-grandfather’s return to Italy with my family, bringing back only photos as a connection to the U.S.
As Richard Avedon said, “Photography is a truth if it captures what does not change over time. It photographs the truth of the past but not the truth of the present; even though, in the present, memories can become a form of truth.”
Alex Valentina
I don’t often ask myself this question. I try to stay true to myself and avoid contradictions. If I had to answer, I’d love to work on a solo exhibition or a book to mark these past years of visual exploration. It’s important to create little archives of life’s moments, like book chapters, to feel less lost and see how I’ve grown and where I can evolve.
