Mexican-born, Brooklyn-based illustrator and artist Alberto Pazzi is known for his bold line and signature pink palette, with his minimalistic illustrations centering around common themes that include: women (and femininity in general), clowns, and ghosts.
“The things I paint are very universal,” noted Pazzi in an interview with Elephant. According to him, we’ve all felt like a clown or a ghost at one time or another. “In my recent work I’ve used them almost like self-portraits,” he says, “but the image of a clown, or a ghost drinking on its own in a bar… these are universal feelings that strike you even if you don’t speak the same language or whether or not you’ve had the same experiences—everyone can relate to them in a way.”
Though his themes might be relatable, it is his unique approach to them that makes his creations stand out. Adding a humoristic edge to his illustrations allows Pazzi some room to delve into loaded subjects such as loneliness and solitude. “They’re not hard to understand,” he says of his illustrations, “to me, if I have to explain them then I’ve failed as an artist.”
“Humour is a big part of my work and has been ever since I started painting,” he adds, noting that comedy and music, in particular, is what keeps him going. With a background in graphic design, his approach to art is fairly straight forward, with his visual language coherent and communicative.
“Graphic design gave me the tools to make money and showed me a way to do certain things, but it wasn’t for me,” admits Pazzi. “My favorite vehicle of expression is painting—it’s the most satisfying process. I know a lot of artists who are very talented but they can’t let go on a piece; but for me, if it’s not working I just throw it away and start again.”
