Daniele Cipolletti

My relationship with art began in Italy, where I trained at the Art Institute of Orvieto and went on to study set design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome.

Over the years I have worked in different fields of artistic creation: sculpture, model making, set design and building elements for the theatre and other spaces.

I am especially interested in the process of turning an idea into something tangible. Working with my hands, exploring materials, solving problems and discovering the possibilities that appear along the way.

I don’t see these disciplines as separate worlds. For me, sculpture, model making and set design share the same pursuit: giving shape to what first exists in the imagination.

Opiforia also grew out of this way of understanding art: a space to share experiences, show work and meet other points of view.

Every project starts in a different way. Sometimes with a drawing, sometimes with a conversation, an image or simply an intuition.

I like working with a range of materials and techniques, combining traditional methods with contemporary tools. I don’t believe there is only one way to reach a form: every idea needs to find its own path.

For me, the creative process is a fundamental part of the work. Observing, experimenting, building, changing and, when necessary, starting again.

Between craft and imagination I find the space where ideas become reality.

Alongside sculpture, I also work in painting and ceramics: murals and trompe-l’œil, oil paintings and hand-painted tile panels.

Different techniques that, for me, answer the same pursuit: giving shape to an idea with my hands.