‘Extra+Ordinary Journey’, from May 10 to October 27 2024 at the Museum 209 in Seoul, is the first solo exhibition of italian artist Federica Del Proposto in Asia. This exhibition was organised by E&I Arts Media in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute of Seoul as part of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and Korea. Federica Del Proposto had already exhibited her works in Korea during the exhibition ‘Italian Vibes’ 2023.04.28-10.28 in which she participated together with Italian artists Olimpia Zagnoli and Camilla Falsini at the KMCA Museum in Seoul. Her art is known all over the world and she has created covers for famous magazines, brands, books and posters including: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Monocle magazine, Les Echos, ELLE. Federica Del Proposto is an visual artist who creates works with a strong visual and communicative impact. Her decisive and essential line make her style unique. She has illustrated visual communication projects for French and American clients including: Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the Charles Schwab Group, Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris and many others. She has won prestigious international awards including: American Illustration, London AOI World Illustration Award, 3x3 competition, Berlin Young Illustrators Award and her works are exhibited in several international museums and galleries: galleries in Paris (Galerie Robillard, Galerie Michel Lagarde, Cité Internationale des Arts de Paris), London (Somerset House), Berlin (Direktorenhaus), Milan (BASE, Gallerie d'Italia, La Triennale).

I have always been passionate about illustration and have admired the ability of some artists to succeed in communicating profound messages through a few essential line. Federica Del Proposto has managed to make her style unique, elegant and inimitable. I have been intrigued by her ability to realise and work consistently, managing to collaborate with famous magazines and realise important exhibitions. Federica Del Proposto kindly answered a few questions and allowed us to find out a little more about her art and artistic journey.

HR: Can you introduce yourself and tell us why you became an artist? 

My name is Federica Del Proposto, and I'm an Italian visual artist, illustrator, cartoonist, and, in my early career, architect. I studied Architecture and, when I was a student, I started drawing an autobiographical comic strip that I posted on my blog (it was still the "blog" era, right before the birth of social networks). The comic strip ("fumettisottovuoto") became a sensation in Italy, especially because it was one of the first web-autobiographical comics written by a girl. However, I considered it a playful part of my daily life as an architecture student and did not want to become a professional comics author. I continued on my architecture path, which first led me to graduate with first-class honors and then to work abroad. I lived in Paris and worked as an architect for some years. It was in France that my passion for drawing reappeared. Once I figured out that I wanted to make a living from my own art, I realized it wasn't comics anymore: it was illustration. The transition from architecture to illustration was spontaneous, also due to my experience in comics. I believe my artworks and illustrations are now the right combination of architectural drawing and comics' storytelling.

HR: Which is your source of inspiration for your works?

I've always been fascinated by people's everyday lives and how they move through the streets and cities of our world. Observing people, trying to understand their emotions or thoughts, and searching for that detail that evokes an emotion in me: it can be a smile or a bit of sadness, depending on the situation. I want to draw this emotion, but link it to the space in which that person is feeling it. We live in places designed by us, humans, and we are architects of our own emotions while living in these spaces and in our world. Like other living creatures, we colonize our world, and our emotions are deeply linked to how we design and modify it. Landscapes, cities, buildings, and rooms are the scenography of our stories, personal stories that often interact with those of others, creating a complex yet immediate and natural movement of emotions that defines our nature.

HR: Are you inspired by any artist or artistic movement?

I found the master cartoonists of the 20th century aligned with my way of using storytelling: short, immediate, funny stories that convey a lot in just one or a few images, or with minimal lines. The artists who had a significant impact, especially at the start of my career, have been cartoonists like Saul Steinberg, Sempé, Chas Addams, and Joost Swarte. I also appreciate the work of artists like Guy Billout, who focuses on drawing spaces, even if in a more conceptual than narrative way. Lately, I'm rediscovering artists from the past, such as Hieronymus Bosch. His way of filling spaces with many humans and vitality, even if graphically the opposite of my clean lines, resonates with me. His "Garden of Earthly Delights" partly inspired the artwork I created for the exhibition, "Three Lands." Recently, I've also become fascinated by abstract art. I have come to better understand the work of masters like Paul Klee and Jackson Pollock. While their work may seem to have nothing in common with mine, the balance of lines and solid shapes, and the aim for a harmonic composition of all the little elements and layers, is also part of my art practice and style, even if my humans are not symbolic but drawn with human features.

HR: What is your creative process?

I almost always start by drawing the space where things and emotions happen. Characters come later, as if they are there to fill this space with their emotions. Personal stories and emotions often interact with the emotions of others. Through drawing, I want to talk about these interactions, which can grow from daily ordinary stories to broader, more significant themes. Regarding my art practice, I believe it is the result of the union of architectural drawing and comics’ storytelling. I combine clean colored outlines with solid bright colors and playful narration. My drawings are composed of various levels: one for the background and location, another for the characters, another for emotions, and continually improving in my art practice. I am becoming better at understanding all these levels and eventually adding more. In the process, I am searching for the right balance of all layers, lines, and colors.

HR: Which of your works has excited you the most?

Each time I take a step forward in my artistic research, there's an artwork that marks that moment. Like the sections in the exhibition, I've taken a little step forward at least three or four times since I started my artistic path. I consider the "Three Lands" installation done for Museum209 as my latest step forward in my art practice. This installation is a reflection on our contemporary times and the intricacies of our world and society. Within this piece, I portray three distinct lands inhabited by diverse peoples. Each land boasts its own capital, architecture, flora, and culture. Despite being separated by the sea, these lands are compelled to interact due to their shared existence within the same world. The playfulness of characters, colors, architecture, and comics storytelling remains; my style is the same, but the message/story becomes denser here. "Three Lands" keeps my whimsical style, but the message is more serious and mature. This is the main difference from the majority of my artworks. It is my latest significant step, but not the most important. Each significant step has been important.

HR: You have already exhibited your works in Korea. How have your works been received by the Korean public?

My very first collaboration in Korea occurred two years ago, in 2022, when Archi-Lab, a Korean publisher, asked me to be part of a collective art book presenting the work of selected illustrators, mainly European and American, as an art book for Korean art students. I was so surprised; I couldn't imagine that my work was known by a Korean publisher. I was so happy! That first collaboration led to new opportunities, beginning my collaboration with dArtworks, which represents my work in the APAC region. I was part of their group project, "Italian Vibe," at the K Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul with other Italian artists. It seems like it was appreciated and enjoyed by the public, and I was really happy with this first project! And here we are today: "Extra+Ordinary Journey" is my first solo exhibition in Korea. I think the Korean audience will appreciate it. I especially hope that all people visiting the exhibition take their time to enjoy the moment. It has to be an "extra" experience in their ordinary days, like enjoying a moment for ourselves or with our families. That's one of the points of my works: talking about everyday life and everyday stories or emotions to understand, little by little, the big picture, perhaps.

HR: What do you think about Korea (art, people, food etc.)?

I became interested in Korea and Korean creations and productions a decade ago. I was in Paris, and I had stopped working as an architect to focus on my art. While preparing my artistic portfolio, I discovered K-dramas and started watching them in the evenings! I had a deep interest in K-dramas for about a year, during the transition from architecture to illustration. I loved watching them because they are a pop product, and everything pop and ordinary is, to me, a form of art. Pop culture has always fascinated me, no matter the nation. Another interesting aspect of Korean contemporary art, productions, and creativity is the balance between tradition and the future. I found so many futuristic new ideas, new buildings, and new experiences; it's like a nation that is always looking forward to the present moment. At the same time, I can feel the desire to preserve traditions, too. That's quite similar to the way Italy acts: we always try to improve our ideas, especially in art and design, but don't touch our traditions, especially food ones :)

HR: Do you have any project/dream that you would like to realize in your artistic career?

I was born into architecture and grew up with comics. The combination of these two different backgrounds led me to my current work as a visual artist and illustrator. "Three Lands" is my first pop-up card-like installation, and I would surely like to do more installations; they suit me well. When I was an architect, I worked extensively on architectural models, too. One of my dreams is to design a scenography—an art installation that is both a space to live in and an artwork. There's a part of the exhibition where people can walk through one of my past drawings together with my characters. I would love to work on something similar but start from scratch with new art and images. 

The exhibition was curated by Judy Kang, who told me how the idea for this exhibition was born, from the choice of the title together with Federica Del Proposto, to the structuring of the exhibition and the positive message the exhibition wants to give visitors. In fact, Judy Kang hopes the exhibition can be: ‘I hope it transports them to moments and places within their own lives. Beyond the visual experience, I aspire for the audience to discover something ‘extra’ in their ‘ordinary’ days, making each day a bit more ‘extraordinary.’

HR: Please can you introduce yourself and tell us how the idea for this exhibition was born.

Hi, my name is Jung-hwa “Judy” Kang, and I am the curator for the “Extra + Ordinary Journey” exhibit featuring the works of Federica Del Proposto. From the very beginning, I aimed to craft an exhibit title that encapsulates her extraordinary, multi-layered artistic journey and her unique style, born from her special background. This led to the title, "Extra + Ordinary Journey," which highlights the artist’s unique evolution from comics and architecture into illustration, marking the development of her distinctive artistic style. The various "extra" elements infused into the artist's "ordinary" life have converged into her current "Extra + Ordinary Journey." The deliberate separation of "extra" and "ordinary" within the compound "extraordinary," denoted by the "+" symbol, symbolizes this fusion. I also sought to find an object that would visualize the exhibit—something embodying the innocence and vibrant energy of childhood present in Federica's artworks. After much discussion, Federica and I settled on the paper pinwheel, a cherished childhood toy of hers. Prominently displayed throughout the exhibition space and on posters, the pinwheel serves as a conduit for conveying the artist's narrative. Even when motionless, the pinwheel carries its own inherent significance, symbolizing our daily existence. As it twirls with the addition of the "extra" element of wind, each rotation reveals distinct patterns and hues, mirroring the overarching theme of the exhibition. In creating the exhibit sections, I wanted to narrate her artistic journey with storytelling elements: the start of the journey, its continuation, unexpected obstacles, companionship that enriches the journey, and travel where one finds something familiar in the new.We carefully selected 170 artworks, and Federica created two new pieces to commemorate her debut in Korea. The exhibit is composed of five sections representing pivotal junctures in her artistic journey, along with three bonus sections. "Extra + Ordinary Journey" presents Federica Del Proposto’s artworks from the past decade for the inaugural viewing by Korean audiences, marking Federica’s first solo museum exhibit in Asia. It holds particular significance alongside the 140th anniversary of Korea-Italy diplomatic relations in 2024.

HR: How did the Korean public receive this exhibition?

I spent about a week at the museum, just observing the audience's reactions to the exhibit. I also had several chances to interact with them directly during private tours I conducted. One of the remarkable things about Federica’s artworks is the diverse styles she has developed over her career. For instance, when visitors entered section 3, where her ten-minute drawings were displayed, they were amazed at how one artist could create such varied styles. A similar reaction happened in the room with the “Summer Series.” I often overheard visitors discussing among themselves, trying to decide which style they liked the most. The final part of the exhibit is the “Three Lands” section, which we promoted as a "secret section" with no images released before the exhibit opened. The audience was mesmerized by how the drawings were recreated as pop-up card-like models. I am really grateful to the museum for collaborating with me on this project, as it was quite challenging to execute within the limited exhibit space. It is always such a joy in this profession to see people appreciating the images and reading everything on the walls. Sure, seeing pictures posted on Instagram is one way to gauge how people enjoyed the show, but the real reward for my efforts in preparing an exhibit is seeing people truly enjoying every part of it in person. I hope this exhibition gives the Korean public a chance to get to know Federica and enjoy her artworks. Whether they are  attending solo, with family, or with friends, this exhibition promises an enriching experience. From the very beginning, the exhibit is filled with narratives that encourage introspection. As audiences engage with each artwork and grasp the stories being told, I hope it transports them to moments and places within their own lives. Beyond the visual experience, I aspire for the audience to discover something "extra" in their "ordinary" days, making each day a bit more “extraordinary.”

The interview was conducted via email form July 7 to July 20 2024, I thank Federica Del Proposto and Judy Kang for their availability and kindness.

Info and photo credits:

@fedelproposto

fedelproposto (info credits about artist's biography)

Judy Kang

@dArtworks (photo credits)

@iicseoul

@italyinkorea_