Cristiana Giacchetti, an artist from Milano, Italy, is a tireless explorer of the invisible human soul. Her artistic journey began as a way to accept and dialogue with her inner world—a therapeutic form of expression that led her to uncover beauty within discomfort. Inspired by her great-grandfather, fresco artist Aristodemo Giacchetti, and her father-in-law, artist Gualtiero Mocenni, Cristiana’s art is deeply rooted in personal and ancestral connections.

Since 2021, Cristiana has dedicated herself to a practice that bridges the poetic language of the psyche with visual expression. Her works explore themes of lyricism, primordiality, and pareidolicity—the optical illusions that allow viewers to perceive shapes and images from their subconscious. Each piece invites observers to see with what philosopher Plotinus called the "spiritual gaze," revealing the essence beyond mere appearance.

Cristiana's creative process is intuitive and deeply spiritual. She begins each work by emptying her mind, allowing her soul to guide the movements of her brush. Her art embraces the materiality of color, with sculptural dimensions that appear to leap from the canvas, urging visual dialogue with viewers.

Despite not having formal artistic education, Cristiana overcame doubts and societal expectations to pursue her passion. She believes that art should not be driven by material concerns but by the desire to spread beauty in the world. Her advice to aspiring artists is simple yet profound: trust your inner voice, let the spirit guide your journey, and focus on creating meaningful contributions rather than commercial success.

For Cristiana, art is a powerful force for societal transformation. She echoes Dostoevsky's belief that "beauty will save the world," seeing art as a means to nourish the soul and create harmony. She views the artist as a shaman—a mediator between the infinite and the visible.

Through her evocative works, Cristiana Giacchetti challenges us to connect with the deeper layers of our psyche and to see the world, and ourselves, through the lens of beauty and essence.

Can you tell us about your journey as an artist? What inspired you to pursue art, and how has your style evolved over the years?

I embarked on the artistic path out of a need to accept my dark side and to dialogue with it. At a certain point, I realized that the emotional discomforts I was experiencing were manifestations of my inner world requiring attention. These discomforts couldn’t be controlled—they needed to be welcomed. Art became my way of giving them form, a sort of therapy of form. It was liberating and helped me understand the beauty in what we mistakenly judge as discomfort.

For instance, would a poet be a poet without his tribulations? These struggles are the source of inspiration for a poet’s poetics, and the same goes for an artist. My artistic process draws from my inner worlds, my true essence. Everything else is just surface and appearance.

What themes or messages do you aim to convey through your artwork, and how do you go about expressing them visually?

The focus of my art is the Soul—what the ancients called Anima and what depth psychology refers to as Psyche. My goal is to investigate its language, which isn’t made of words but of images. My work is defined by lyricism, primordiality, and pareidolicity—the optical illusions of the subconscious.

Many of my paintings emerge from the ancestral nature of gestures, following the poetic, almost random movements of the Soul. Behind the seemingly casual shapes, there’s often another form—a face, an eye, a demon, or a lady. Each observer sees what their Soul wants them to see.

Can you walk us through your creative process? How do you start a new piece, and what techniques or materials do you prefer to use?

My creative process begins with emptying my mind to ensure that my will and reason don’t interfere. The gesture must surrender to the beauty of the Soul, which wants to manifest itself through the work. I don’t decide the form; I simply follow the flow of ecstasy.

In every painting, I feel a tension, as if the form is trying to emerge from the canvas. This often results in a materiality of color, almost sculptural, as if the shapes want to visually engage with the observer. I favor these almost sculptural dimensions in my work.

What challenges have you faced in your artistic career, and how have you overcome them? Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?

The biggest challenges have been overcoming my own limits and beliefs. For example, I didn’t have a formal artistic education, which made me question my ability to be an artist. But I came to see this doubt as a deception of the rational mind. Power doesn’t come from competence alone—it comes from the spirit, which provides what you need.

I learned to trust the spirit of the artist within me and to embrace the fortunate events that came my way. My advice to aspiring artists is to avoid letting the outside world define you. Look within for the authorization to exist as an artist and have faith. Focus on contributing beauty to the world with your art rather than chasing material success. If your intentions are pure, the universe will support your journey.

How do you see the role of art in society, and what impact do you hope your work has on your audience? Are there any particular responses or interactions with viewers that stand out to you?

Dostoevsky said, “Beauty will save the world.” Art is beauty because it poetically captures the essence of humanity. It plays a vital role in the “salvation” of the world by bypassing reason, which often creates problems with its logic of utility. Art follows the logic of beauty, nourishing the soul.

A nourished soul doesn’t need to claim, envy, or act violently. If all souls were fed through art, the world’s collective soul could live in harmony. As an artist, I feel a responsibility to spiritually nourish those who view my work. When I succeed in doing so, I feel I’ve achieved a great goal. In essence, the artist is a shaman, bridging the infinite and the visible through their creations.

You can find Cristiana Giacchetti’s artworks at the link below:

https://www.picegallery.com/collections/cristiana-giacchetti