Aldo Muzzarelli (1963)
Artist born in Venezuela, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Central University of Venezuela. He worked as an illustrator at the Inter-American Center of Languages (CIDI – Caracas) and was an animator on several films produced by the Film Department at the University of Los Andes. He served for several years as Director of Culture in his hometown and taught in fine arts training workshops throughout Venezuela. He pursued specialized studies in Spain (Fresco Painting Techniques, Restoration of Paintings on Canvas, Stucco-Marble, Water Gilding with Fine Gold , Stained Glass, and Grisailles) and frequented the studio of the great Venezuelan master Abdón Romero in Florida, USA. In 2010, Aldo created several monumental works for the Cathedral of San Pedro in Caracas and opened his own gallery in Tinaquillo. Aldo Muzzarelli has participated in individual and group exhibitions in Venezuela, the United States, Spain, and Italy, receiving numerous awards in Venezuela and 52 art awards in the US since his arrival in 2013. He currently resides in Mauldin, South Carolina.

My artistic work is multidisciplinary and includes acrylic painting, oil painting, mixed media, and mural painting (using the ancient technique of Buon Fresco). In the field of three-dimensional art, I work with iron, resin, and ceramics. I am the author of artistic works permanently located in cities in Venezuela (Caracas, Valencia) and in states in the United States (Mauldin, Anderson, Spartanburg SC; Carrboro NC; Deland, FL and Roanoke, VA).
Regarding the themes I address in my personal work, they generally convey optimism and mostly revolve around freedom, equality, and the constant pursuit of transforming negative aspects into positives.
I believe that the world sometimes becomes hostile, and certain minorities are the most vulnerable. People often tend to judge others with prejudices related to ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, physical appearance, and even political preference. I think my work constitutes a call to reflection on these aspects of current life.

My proposal involves the creation of a two-dimensional artwork in a large format (60 x 47 inches) using the mixed media technique. To bring this piece to life, I will employ pure pigments, graphite, and acrylic on a canvas affixed to a wooden board securely fastened to a robust wooden frame. Additionally, I plan to incorporate gold leaf in various tones and a series of artisanal iron nails with an antique appearance along the upper edge of the frame. This artwork could be suitable for display in indoor settings such as a town hall, library, or any public building.
Considering the history of slavery in Roanoke, which closely aligns with that of the rest of the country, and my personal connection with this beautiful city (developed during my visit to deliver my sculpture “The Butterfly Enchanter,” currently exhibited in Elmwood Park), it feels fitting to create an artwork centered around inclusion. To achieve this, I believe it is pertinent to employ a broken palette exclusively in neutral tones—white, black, grays, and subtle glazes. This choice aims to accentuate the conceptual nature of the artwork, symbolizing the passage of time and a limited vision of reality.
In recent years, my artistic focus has been on raising awareness about the prejudices that, as human beings, we often harbor without even realizing it. The proposed artwork aims to depict the image of a beautiful young African-American woman dressed in the fashion of European royalty from the 17th century. Not just in any dress, but in the attire of a Menina, inspired by the painting of the great universal master Diego da Silva Velázquez. This portrayal seeks to not only expose historical differences among humans but also serve as a reference to the universality of both the theme and the language of art.
It is relevant to note that Velázquez’s Meninas are among the most cited works by artists worldwide, emphasizing the importance of art within cultures. Since last year, I have been creating a series of works inspired by Velázquez’s Meninas, featuring girls that appear to be part of a court, adorned in dresses created by my imagination with crinolines. Although these pieces pay homage to Velázquez, they constitute a unique way of drawing attention to the important theme I am developing.

As journalist Betsy Biesenbach asserts in her article for the Roanoke Times dated May 23, 2023: “The historical presence of slavery in the Roanoke Valley has been downplayed.” Despite the passage of much time and the abolition of slavery, prejudices related to ethnicity, race, gender, religion, and even political preference still persist in our society, sometimes in a subtle manner. Although much progress has been made lately in favor of minorities, who are sometimes the most vulnerable, there is still much to be done.
I describe my work as a call to reflection, to continue the fight for equality. However, it is a peaceful and well-orchestrated struggle. The fight against ignorance, which, in my opinion, is the cause of the persistence of such prejudices even today.

I would start doing my work once I am informed if I am one of the selected artists.

My work would be solely mine. He would have no partners.

In recent years, there has been significant progress in this regard. Inclusion is a fundamental part of this evolution. It is important to clarify that it involves real and participatory inclusion.
Art aims not only to be a means of entertainment but is also capable of revealing undiscovered truths. While it is true that not everyone is a regular attendee of artistic events, it is even more true that as art becomes more widespread among the population, their sensitivity increases. As art becomes more important within a society, its positive messages become more accessible to the population.
Only through education will the humanitarian goals set by people of goodwill be achieved, and art is a fundamental tool to accomplish this. I believe, without fear of being mistaken, that the message of my work is aimed at achieving that objective.

Actually, the work I am proposing consists of a large-format piece. The most recent work I created, which was even smaller than the one I am proposing here, I sold for $6,500. It was also a piece from the series of extemporaneous meninas. I plan to create a piece whose value depends more on the artistic quality than on the investment in materials. Certainly, I will need to buy high-quality canvas, wood to reinforce the canvas and make the frame, material to prepare the canvas in the classical way, and gold leaf in various tones. Part of the material (pigments, sealers, and antique iron nails) I have already purchased since I regularly work with these materials. Finally, I have to pay the girl who is going to pose for the painting.