Artist Greg Slavatori with his new painting, Sunset Hope
by Mia Phillips
During Greg Salvatori’s childhood, a watchtower was a symbol of tyranny and oppression. Used by the cult his mother belonged to, its purpose was to remind its followers that they were constantly being watched. To Greg, this watchtower represented the control he experienced in his life and grew to resent. When he visited Provincetown for the first time, he was taken aback when he saw the monument. He was reminded of those dark childhood memories, however, this tower represented something different. It marked the creative and welcoming community of Provincetown. Looking back on his first visit he could not believe that such a place was represented by a symbol like the one that haunted him in the past. “To me, it takes the old oppressive tower and flips it into a completely new meaning,” he says.
The monument serves as the inspiration for his new series of paintings, Vivid Hope, which will be on display at the Greg Salvatori Gallery from May 24 to June 6. When he comes to Provincetown, whether by land or sea, the first thing that welcomes him back is the monument. He likens it to the Statue of Liberty, a representation of a new land where he has the freedom to be who he is without fear of judgment or harassment.
Salvatori has lived in many cities worldwide, such as London, Florence, Paris, and Barcelona, but he says Provincetown is his favorite because “it’s all of them distilled and undiluted, with a dusting of weirdness.”
Salvatori likes to experiment with the mediums he uses in his art, ranging from painting to photography, or a combination of the two. He says for his new series, “I’m not using brushes I’m using knives. I’m working on the texture of layering the colors.” The exhibition features a collection of acrylic paintings with the monument being the focal point, some set against backdrops of vibrant colors.
He enjoys watching his audience “drink the colors” in his works, saying, “I like to use it non-blended, blotches of color that contrast with each other, then your eye brings it all together.” He describes his use of color as “pleasure colors,” which spark joy in him and his audience. Joy is first in his life, and it is what he wants audiences to take away from his art. “No matter what lemons you get, not only lemonade, let’s make ice cream, let’s make sorbet, let’s make limoncello… Let’s go at it with all the playfulness and joy that you can.”
This playful attitude Salvatori brings to life shines through in his work. Being able to derive joy from darkness is the artist’s job, according to Salvatori. “The artist takes whatever comes their way, and the job is to transform it into something beautiful and meaningful.” He says it is vital to find rays of hope in every dark moment and use them to inspire you to keep going.
In Salvatori’s philosophy on life, fear has no place. Although he describes himself as a perfectionist, he realizes that perfectionism comes from a place of fear, scared of what people will think if they are allowed to see his work as anything less than perfect. He says he is becoming more comfortable showing people close to him the rough drafts of his works instead of waiting until he reaches a point of perfection. Being vulnerable allows viewers to see how much thought and effort goes into each piece instead of appearing as though perfection was effortless.
He emphasizes the importance of trusting others, learning to lean on those in your community for support, and finding comfort in it. Instead of letting fear of judgment dictate when a piece is perfect, he says now he knows when a piece is done. “There’s a precise moment where I just feel a satisfaction about the image. It’s not about what people will think, it is not about will it sell, will it not sell. I actually look at it and think, would I want this in my house.”
On living in the moment, Salvatori says, “I’m a big believer of now, now is definitely my favorite moment. The past can enrich you, you can learn from it, but you don’t want to live in it. The future is a complete speculation, and if you think about it too much you trap your present into behaviors that are actually not what you want.”
He says his gratefulness for the present moment inspires his work. “All of my work is about reminding of the now, how marvelous the now is no matter your condition.” Gratitude and hope go hand in hand as Salvatori practices thankfulness for each present moment. He traces this back to his childhood, reflecting on the darkness he felt during those years. He remembers clinging to moments of joy and hope to drag him out of the darkness. Since then, he does not like to live in any moment other than the present. “Time worrying or time complaining, it’s really wasted time.”
Greg Salvatori: Vivid Hope is on exhibition at Greg Salvatori Gallery, 366 Commercial St., Provincetown , May 24 through June 6. An opening reception will be held on Friday May 24 starting at 6 p.m. For more information call 347.399.0875 or visit gregsalvatori.com.
