ART

ART By Maximillien de Lafayette

Encouraged by his teacher and immediate surroundings, Balsamo began to work on his own composition, to explore the immense world of his genius creativity. First, he began to copy postcards he could find in friends homes, on the shelves and hangers of nearby small shops squeezed between romantic narrow Italian streets… He tried to reproduce and copy others’ paintings with themes like landscape, countryside panoramas, old houses with nostalgic balconies, floral design, people and other inspirational figures and visions from his imagination, dreams and hope. This young boy worked hard. He worked late and long hours. He had to feed his family, yet, despite all his efforts and sacrifices, the Balsamo’s family financial condition did not improve. We are now in 1949, and Balsamo is only 14 year old. He saw the bright picture of his illustrious career…a distant vision…but, now, Balsamo is worried. A great financial burden was thrown over his fragile shoulders. Balsamo start to look for a second job, a third job, a double shift… Many parts of Italy were in ruin. It is the post war era. Many houses needed to be rebuild, streets to clean up, edifices to restore, buildings to erect or to replace the decimated ones. For a short time, the young boy did what he could, working here, working there, but his heart was into painting. He wished if he could afford to buy a few tubes of colors and brushes, second hand canvases, a piece of linen he can draw on. But this was a harsh wish for the suffering young boy.

PAINTING BECOMES THE LIFE AND SOUL OF BALSAMO: HIS FIRST SOLO SHOW

Photo: COMPOSIZIONE QUASI ASTRATTA, 1974.

In 1954, following the advice of a friend, Balsamo decided to enroll in the Scuola d'Arte San Giacomo in Rome. This was the first time, the young Balsamo began to study classical art in an academically professional art setting. He spent three years at this illustrious Roman art academy and excelled in composition, landscapes, still lives and portraiture. His remarkable talents at many levels were noticed by his teachers. No art teacher could contribute more to the formal education of the talented student, teach him any additional techniques, or improve on what the young Balsamo has already learned, for the young student has already surpassed his teachers. Balsamo graduated with honors but now, he is on his own…Alone facing the world and its harsh reality. Brave and self-assured, he returned to his beloved natal city Brindisi in 1957 just after his graduation. In Brindisi, at the Circolo Cittadino, he holds his first solo art exhibition which was dedicated to his first art teacher maestro Acquaviva. Nice touch! He did not forget the first man who put a brush in his hand. The show was an immediate success. He took the city by storm but, there is not enough money for him in Brindisi. No money, no honey. We all know in the United States, if you want to make it big in the art world, you do not stay in Idaho or Walla Walla, you go to New York. Now, art has become his life, soul and the only means that might put bread on his table. He decided to return to Rome. But Rome is tough. As tough as Paris and New York. Especially, if you are not a part of the high society, the ritzy art circle…And particularly if you do not have a fat bank account to provide you with a comfortable life in cosmopolitan cities or the nation’s capital. In the fifties and early sixties, it was extremely difficult to succeed in the European art world; it was an era dominated and influenced by Jean Cocteau, Francoise Sagan, Andre Malraux, Andre Breton, Jean Paul Sartre, Mafai, Afro and Alfonso Gatto. If you were not one of their protégés, well, you better make a U-Turn or fight for your life. Will the young Balsamo be able to break through and make his mark on the art world of Rome, one of the world’s most demanding, arrogant and sophisticated art capitals of the world? Can he do it alone, without connection, without money, without insiders, without shrewd son of a gun agents? Probably not! Unfortunately, in the art world, it is not how good you are, it is not how much you know about art, it is not how talented and unique you are BUT, WHO YOU DO KNOW!! At that time, Balsamo did not know any of those big shots! He did not mingle with those major key players and influential Champagne and Martini Galleries owners type! He had no access to them. He could not afford their life styles and hang around them. Grosso modo, he was an outsider, a perfect stranger without funds! He was alone. Alone with his great art. So determined to make it on his own, fighting all odds and risking of loosing whatever he had in his pocket, Balsamo decided to open his first art studio in the heart of the beautiful, the tough and arrogant Rome, despites all odds and the fierce competition by some of the most talented and already extremely well successful local artists. Rome was up to her neck with art and artists. Nevertheless, Balsamo decided to stay in the race.