"Artisticus Pop" -- Meet Pauly Salvatori

- Van Jazmin is a designer with a passion for leadership, community and transformation. He has collaborated on projects with Cirque du Soleil, Tervis Tumbler, TEDx, and the Ringling College Center for Applied Creativity and Innovation. His contributions to Sarasota’s creativity include graphic facilitation with Your Creative Ideas and launching Clothesline Print & Design, an artist-run screen printing company.

The first time I met Pauly, I arrived at his studio after dark per his recommendation to see his work in low light. I was surprised to walk in and see an entire apartment filled with paintings and assemblages. No furniture except a meeting table and dresser turned into an art installation. Guiness, cigars and black coffee for guests. Photographs and shattered mirrors staring back from every white wall. I knew I was in the presence of an artist with a story to tell.“My mom was one of Michael Todd's finest showgirls,” Pauly said about his background. “My dad was the Chicago rep for Frank Sinatra.” The work showed hints and teases of the pop world, music, sex and self-depreciation, with several self-portraits, often nude, beautifully lit and lo-fi. At first, I was concerned: Who is this man, Pauly Salvatori? What’s his hang-up? Is he hiding something? No, as I later learned---Pauly exposes everything. "I have death, ashes, sexuality; I have religious discords in my work. I am trying to tell a true story of my life on this earth. It's not about me putting it in their faces, it's about everybody recognizing it,"  Pauly says. “I think people are afraid of [my art] because it's too honest and if they spend time looking at it, they will see themselves.”

After several visits, I learned to appreciate Pauly’s honesty, generosity and risqué sense of humor. Pauly spent much of his life taking care of his parents and a procession of pets. Family is an important thread and theme in his work.

Pauly Salvatori (born 1958) grew up in a family of six siblings in Chicago and moved to Sarasota in 1969. He would follow his brother Lou back to Chicago to learn photography under Victor Skrebneski, who took black and whites of stars such as Bette Davis. Later, Lou moved to New York City to work for fashion photographers, and once again, Pauly followed. In the Big Apple, he began immersing himself in modeling, screenwriting and songwriting. He would travel to L.A. in an attempt to get into the movies, but ended up in fine art instead. Finally, Pauly returned to Sarasota to take care of his aging parents and adopted a greyhound.

“I hope my life can be as kind, and loving, and happy as she was … she is my motivation in life. I would say she was an angel. I believe that. When I lost her, that was it---all I could do was make art.” - Pauly on Ella the Greyhound

As a gallerist, I have had the unique privilege of getting to know Pauly and his process. His studio is full of surprises and curiosities, and is characterized by his constant tinkering---always adjusting, layering, breaking, disassembling and renewing. Old photographs, refuse, nails and screws. Liquitex and canvas. Feathers and glue. His subjects range from Marilyn Monroe to local homeless icon Charles Canterbury. Every piece has a story.

“I am a storyteller. Someone said art is the reasoned derangement of the senses. Right on! My inspiration? To be known as a world-class artist when I am a cadaver.”

Switching between funny and serious, nostalgic and spontaneous, Pauly has a complicated relationship with art.

"I want to burn it, I want to break it. I want to rent a motel room just to sleep somewhere else. Sometimes I will fall asleep in the front yard ... I love it, I hate it, I live it, I breathe it." And indeed, Pauly’s home is filled with art and not much else, and he cannot get away from it. He has been working on some pieces for 15 years. “All my art pieces are my funky funks and it will be a sad day when I sell them for worthless money," he says.

Pauly’s work will debut on Main Street at the Sarasota Vineyard with a soirée opening on Saturday, Feb. 16, from 6 to 11 p.m. The work will be on display through March 2013. Dedicated to helping both animals and people, Pauly will donate 50 percent of proceeds from this exhibit to Southeastern Guide Dogs, a nonprofit dedicated to helping the visually impaired be matched with loyal canine companions.

A week before the exhibit, I sat down with Pauly and posed a few personal questions unlike the academic art interview. Here is the sum of the conversation for you all to enjoy:

Van Jazmin: What do you like to do?

Pauly Salvatori: I like drinking beer, smoking cigars and making art.

VJ: Who are your best friends?

PS: Simon the Stray, Alvin and Clyde (the neighbor’s cats), Lucy the Dog, and my brother Lou!

VJ: What are your pet peeves?

PS: Good deeds left undone. People who talk and run their mouths and don't produce. Imbeciles and morons.

VJ: Who is your god?

PS: Well, if Jesus of Christ of Nazareth isn't God … it must be Donald Trump.

VJ: Are you depressed?

PS: Absolutely saddened and sorrowful. The leading artistic moment of my life was when I got married. It was a black hole … no pun intended. But you have to get down to get up and vice versa. I’m thrilled to wake up in the morning and say, "FUCK YES ... another day to get it wrong."

VJ: Are you mortal?

PS: Yes, but I live in boldness and I do not live in fear.

VJ: Favorite movies?

PS: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Deliverance, The Sound of Music, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Schindler's List, Dirty Harry, Brokeback Mountain.

VJ: Favorite music?

PS: Rachmanioff's second piano concerto. "Voodoo Child." "The Rain Song." "Nikita." "Dream Weaver." "Shining Star." "Triad." "She's so Heavy." …

VJ: Favorite quotes?

PS: "To err is human, to forgive divine." "To thine own self be true." "Nobody goes to that restaurant anymore---it's too crowded." "There is moderation even in excess." "If somebody steals your wife, the best revenge you can bestow is to let him keep her."

VJ: What are your hopes and wishes?

PS: My direction for art is to keep making it. I am limited by eight-foot ceilings, and if I moved into a place with 20-foot ceilings, I'd do 18-foot art. I don't care about my résumé. I don't know where I’m going with art, but I don't want to stop. Bless the people, bless the homeless, give money to the gays and lesbians, give money to the old people, just help people. Goodnight.

To see more art by Pauly, visit paulysalvatori.tumblr.com

Contact Van Jazmin (curator) at 941-536-3228, [email protected], to arrange a tour of the exhibit or Pauly Salvatori’s private studio.