Alessandro Malossi: how to ride the new art system
Born in 1993 in Bologna and later moving to Milan, where he completed his studies at NABA, Alessandro Malossi can boast of being one of the first artists to have used Instagram as a means of disseminating his art. Thanks to this platform, he was able to showcase his works and obtain prestigious collaborations.
Malossi says he started using Instagram in 2012 to post his customised denim jackets, immediately attracting the attention of well-known brands such as Levi's. These initial works, however, are quite different from the works that now dominate his Instagram channel and his exhibitions, such as the one currently taking place in Venice ('Alessandro Malossi takes' Venice at Punta Conterie). Alessandro is indeed a dynamic artist, his production is constantly evolving and always in search of new stimuli and forms.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Malossi embraced digital, developing the ability to extract images from the everyday and transform them through associations that can shake and
question the public. These associations, often ironic and provocative, reflect on current issues. His peculiarity lies in his ability to create extremely clear and direct works, able to reflect today's issues and does so using elements that belong to everyone's everyday life.
And so an Easter egg contains inside it not the classic surprise, but a box of Xanax, a detergent that we all generally use to sweep away dirt, becomes a tool to sweep away homophobia, and a simple headphone to listen to music turns into a middle finger against the world.
Malossi's production is deeply linked to themes of social criticism and mental health, but his skill lies in being able to juggle the artistic universe without fossilising and always maintaining his identity.
Malossi, however, also deserves attention for the way he manages to bring his art to life. He believes, in fact, that galleries, although important in an artist's career, are not fundamental to living. His career is, in fact, one of the many examples of the birth and development of a new art system that no longer relies on galleries and fairs, but on collaborations with brands. Among the most important ones that have marked his artistic career are names such as Hogan, Valentino, Nike, Seletti and Calvin Klein. This does not imply the replacement of the traditional system, but the opening up to new possibilities and perspectives that an artist must be able to grasp. We are witnessing an important change whereby more and more brands of all kinds are entering into collaborations with artists so that they can make a living from their art through an alternative market.
In this sense, Alessandro's advice to anyone aspiring to a career as an artist is probably the most appropriate: don't distort yourself, persevere and take advantage of the immense potential offered by the new social platforms to reach a wide audience and secure visibility in the industry.
Alessia Fraioli is a content creator and populariser of contemporary art. Through her social channels she helps artists, exhibitions and events to gain visibility, helping her audience to develop critical thinking. Her communication is extremely engaging and direct, able to interest a wide audience, even those who are generally not interested in art, let alone contemporary art.
