FRANCESCA GABBIANI
“I always knew there was something about art that had my intuition’s full attention.”
Interview by Amanda Quinn Olivar, West Coast Editor
Francesca Gabbiani was born in Montreal, Canada in 1965. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from UCLA, having previously studied at Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten (RAKB) in Amsterdam and Ecole Superieure des Beaux Arts (ESAV) in Geneva. She has had solo exhibitions at Marianne Boesky Gallery in New York, NY; Patrick Painter in Los Angeles, CA; Lora Reynolds Gallery in Austin, TX; and Monica De Cardena in Milan, Italy, among others. Gabbiani’s work has been exhibited in such prestigious institutions as the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Geneva, Switzerland; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles; and Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles. Her work is included in such public collections as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Museum of Modern Art, New York; and Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
Amanda Quinn Olivar (AQO): What was the aha moment that led you to art... Did Los Angeles play a part in your career decision?
Francesca Gabbiani (FG): I always knew there was something about art that had my intuition’s full attention. Yes, LA changed everything for me. I’m not sure it was a career decision to move here; I think it was more of a spur-of-the-moment type of decision.
AQO: How has living in LA informed your approach and aesthetic? Describe your work, material, themes...
FG: The city meanders around my work--the never-ending driving days helping... I spend a lot of time thinking in its surroundings.
Francesca Gabbiani
Dead Nature with Bathtub, 2017
Ink, gouache and colored pencil on paper
97.8 x 132.1 cm
38 1/2 x 52 in
Photo: © Francesca Gabbiani
Courtesy of Gavlak Gallery
AQO: When and how did you first feel embraced by our LA art community?
FG: I’m not exactly sure of when... I feel that when I arrived here, I had to struggle to feel OK. I didn’t understand anything; it was a culture clash, much more than I had ever thought it would be.
AQO: The exhibition speaks about the vitality of our art community. Which pioneering LA artist influenced you the most? And whose work do you find intriguing right now?
FG: LA has a very impressive community of artists. That was always the best side of the city. Of course Ed Ruscha and also Ken Price are important. I love the work of Cathy Opie and so many others...
AQO: What is your favorite art accident?
FG: My favorite art accident is to meet some peers on the highways and just wave at them... without getting into a car accident.
Francesca Gabbiani
Overlook (drawing), 2016-2017
Ink on mylar
53.3 x 72.4 x 2.5 cm
21 x 28 1/2 x 1 in
Photo: © Francesca Gabbiani
Courtesy of Gavlak Gallery
Photo of Francesca Gabbiani: Olivia Fougeirol
How They Ran
Over The Influence
August 12 - September 5, 2018
