Provincia Cosmica. Tra bar e studio, ovvero la vita punk di Jacopo Benassi
Italian artist Jacopo Benassi, born in 1970 and shaped by the punk scene, discusses his return to his hometown of La Spezia after years in Milan, where he worked as a photographer for Rolling Stone. He describes his life revolving around his studio and local bars, and reflects on founding the underground club B-Tomic in 2011, which became a hub for his artistic and photographic work blending music and performance. He also mentions an upcoming book of drawings and texts by Renzo Daveti (alias Benzo), a formative figure from the Italian punk scene.
This interview matters because it offers a rare, personal look at an artist who embodies the intersection of punk culture and contemporary visual art in Italy. Benassi's choice to leave a cosmopolitan career for provincial life challenges conventional narratives about artistic success, highlighting how peripheral spaces can foster authentic creative identities. His story underscores the enduring influence of underground scenes on mainstream art and the importance of local communities in sustaining artistic practice.