As a fan of Laurent Impeduglia, I can relate to his chaotic expressions that provide logic to his own passionate emotions and thoughts. However, I had never come across an article that provided me an in-depth look into the reason behind the chaos. So, I took it upon myself to seek out the reason and fortunately, Laurent granted me the opportunity to do so. I cannot promise what you will or will not gain from this exuberant Belgian artist, but I can promise that his growing pains and artistic ambition, will allow you to gain something that does not reflect a price, but rather the value of creative culture.
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B: Your introduction to art was through tragedy, which was your brother’s death. What was it about his death that motivated you to begin painting?
L: My brother died in 1990 when I was 16 years old. He was 18 years old. Today, the sorrow and his absence are still painful. We can learn to live with a death, but we are never able to recover completely. I lost all my points of reference, and that is why a part of me is still today in the remembrance of that time. His death forced me to cling to other things and to start a new life. Art gave me hope back. Nothing has changed in my determination since. On the contrary, this has enabled me to live day after day.
B: Describe your childhood and your environment growing up in Belgium.
L: I am filled with anxiety just by reading this question. I always try to live without thinking about the remembrance of my past, but it is impossible. Start a new life with people I like today would be the best solution for me. Nevertheless, I have to deal with the devils of my childhood and try to make a fresh start every day. My childhood was a succession of ordeals and wonderful memories. When I was between 4 and 6 years old, doctors discovered that I had the Legg-Calve-Perthes disease. It is an osteonecrosis of the femoral head. I was like “Forest Gump” at the beginning of the movie, when he walks with his metal braces. The memories of when I was between 5 and 7 years old are more difficult to express. Indeed, my father-in-law, Lorenzo Impeduglia, decided to take charge of my sexual arousal. Fortunately, I was “just” a victim of sexual touching. From that moment, I have felt rebellious against the world of adults and against authority. I had a lot of difficulties to communicate during my childhood. I also discovered the religion with my father-in-law because we went to the church every Sunday in order to perfect my Judeo-Christian education. Then, between my 12 and 16 years old, it was rock’n’roll! I was not introverted anymore, but very rebellious and determined to avenge the world! When I was a teenager, I smoked cannabis, but this addiction led my brother to hard drugs and the effects of heroin were devastating. He always forbade me to take drugs, just as he already knew their harmful effects. I gave up taking drugs when I entered the Royal Academy of Beaux-Arts during the winter of 1990. This school gave me a second chance in life.
B: When I view your work, I see surreal societies and landscape structures that not only captivate, but also stimulate a viewer’s mind. I’m curious to know what type of narratives do you use for your artwork?
L: It is a fact that I would not have become an artist if my brother was not dead. I learned to start over by reading diverse books and integrating influences of the 80’s, culture, video games and music. My father has always been very esoteric. He had books about occult sciences that I tried to skim through. Then I discovered the alchemy and Jacques Van Lennep’s book “Art et Alchimie” (Art and Alchemy), which explained me my images. This led me to Jérome Bosch’s work whose alchemic symbols are ubiquitous and orchestrate his work in a remarkable way. That is how I established my quest. Today, I learn a lot thanks to my girlfriend. It is a fact that she fully plays her muse role. She is very sensible and patient. She often helps me to find the reason back when I am lost in my consciousness. She also does traditional Reiki Usui and takes her inspiration from Thich Nhat Hanh’s lessons, who is a Buddhist monk who has brought Buddha’s messages into the western culture.
B: The element of elevation is used in your paintings a lot, whether it’s staircases or hills. Is there emphasis of elevation in your life that allows it to transition in your artwork?