I will be sharing with you my best work based on Dante's Inferno, my prose version in English one chapter at a time, 34 altogether, as well as my 72-piece art collection inserted in the text chapters to allow a better comprehension of this great, yet difficult story to put in English words. Later on, I'll share with you my experience in having my art collection featured in 2 amazing films, one which is already out and another one to be released next year. After that, I'll tell you the tedious process I had to endure to come up with an art collection I was convinced myself to share with the world. I'll do this one painting at a time, starting with sketches and finishing with the final versions.
Beginnings as a Painter:
I was 6 when I started painting with watercolors but very soon switched to tempera since I liked the control this type of paint provides. I painted Disney characters on wood since I could get it for free. After a few years, I stopped painting and got into music, photography and so on. After college, I picked up the brush again, this time using acrylic paint on canvas, and changed to freestyle painting, also known as abstract painting.
Dante's Influence and The Divine Comedy:
The Divine Comedy was a book my family often spoke about and discussed. I waited until I had a chance to "study" it in College when I was at the University of California, Los Angeles. I ended up majoring in science but also with a minor degree in Italian Literature. However, when I first arrived at UCLA, I went straight to fulfill the general requirements by enrolling to study The Divine Comedy in primitive Italian, just as Dante wrote it. Later I also studied the complete works by Dante Alighieri. This was the most gratifying experience in College. The Divine Comedy changed my life in many ways. I was completely enthralled as I was taken through the afterlife by Dante’s hand. However, I had a very hard time visualizing the story and when I used Gustave Dore's black and white illustrations to follow my reading, it was confusing at times. I could not find anything else at the library at the time since the Internet didn't exist.
Painting Dante's Inferno:
So, many years later, I started developing a graphic magazine series about Dante's Inferno. During this process, I had the opportunity to work on a film based on the same subject. After I did some research, I realized that there was not enough visual art in public domain to make the film properly. So, I decided to change course, stopped the magazine series and started a new journey into Hell, circle by circle from beginning (The Dark Forest) to the end (The Stars of Purgatory). Sandro Botticelli, who interpreted The Divine Comedy almost perfectly in the 1480's, became my guide by force after Dantologist Riccardo Pratesi made several observations about my inaccurate work. He brought to my attention that I had made several mistakes that should be corrected if I wanted to offer a serious interpretation of Dante's Inferno in both print and film. So, when Riccardo offered me his free service as a consultant, I jumped at this opportunity from someone that loves Dante as much as I do. Before he became part of my team, I was already working with Avetik Balaian, who helped me design the scenes as well as making the corrections needed to bring to the world a collection of paintings never seen before. All the details, rich colors, and accurate representations were accomplished thanks to both, Riccardo and Avetik, as well as Sandro Botticelli's sketches and paintings. You may want to watch this video:
Exhibiting Dante's Inferno Art Collection:
After 4 years of working on Dante’s Inferno art collection, it premiered at the Pablo Atchugarry Foundation as a work-in-progress in the affluent summer resort of Punta del Este - Uruguay, from January 12 to February 28, 2011. At that time, the collection was not finished and only 50 pieces were exhibited. A few years later, I had the opportunity to introduce an almost finished collection at Comic-Con in San Diego. The whole 72-piece art collection of Dante's Inferno has taken more than eight years to complete, starting in early 2007 until late 2014. Each illustration has more than 50 versions, some even more than 100 versions, but only one final painting.
Dante's Inferno Art in Books:
Late in 2014, I decided to make my entire collection available to everybody in books titled "Inferno - The Art Collection", now available in 33 languages in print and ebooks. Each painting printed in this book comes with a brief description at the bottom of each page so you can follow the story easily. In addition, the QR codes printed underneath each painting, which can be scanned with a smartphone or a tablet. When you scan the yellow QR code, it allows you to read the text of that particular passage in my online free ebook version of Inferno. When you scan the silver QR Code, it gives you the option to buy that particular painting in different sizes and media. I have worked very hard to make it easy for you to comprehend this enlightening and highly complex story. In order to accomplish this task, I positioned myself in Hell as if I had a 360-degree view and visualized it for you into this art collection. Now, you have the opportunity to be my judge and let me know if I accomplished this goal. #poweredbyindie
Dante's Inferno Text Book:
I'm now in the process to finalize my version of Dante's Inferno textbook in prose and in English, which I'll share with you Canto by Canto (chapter by chapter). Since English is not my native language, it may read awkward at times, so your feedback on the text will be highly appreciated. I'm planning on publishing this book by adding the paintings, I mentioned above, within the text to help the comprehension of this amazing story.
About You:
Dante Alighieri wrote his literary masterpiece, The Divine Comedy, for us to learn about our own lives - past, present, and future. As I come to the end of this long yet enlightening experience I hope my work will do Dante justice and visually convey his message to you, so you can find your purpose in this life of yours as I found mine. The Divine Comedy, on the surface, is Dante's take on the afterlife, however, it is also a profound love story, the one of a man (Dante), who went through the worst of the afterlife to consummate his love relationship with the love of his life (Beatrice) at the Gates of Paradise. Furthermore, it is about YOU, me and each one of us, human beings.
God Bless You!
DDD