Common objects as symbols of a universal journey: from the contemplation of memory and the importance of preserving the past, expressed by Maurizio Foglietti, to the emotional and personal evolution of Germana Galdi, who highlights the need to recognize oneself through the transparency of emotions and the courage to reflect them into the world.
MAURIZIO FOGLIETTI invites us to embark on a journey towards nostalgic memories, where each brushstroke seems to capture the echo of a lost time. He conveys the lightness and delicacy of a world that no longer exists but persists in collective memory. His works are infused with a poetic aura where water and color merge, giving life to subjects marked by a melancholic lightness, where the past becomes the central figure. For Foglietti, watercolor is the ideal tool to freeze time, to crystallize those fragments of existence that would otherwise be lost. His subjects, everyday objects from the past, are treated with an almost ethereal delicacy: the outlines are blurred, and the shapes emerge and dissolve, revealing not just the object itself but also the memory it evokes. In this way, Foglietti turns watercolor into a bridge between the present and the past, where his brushstrokes capture the essence of a time slipping away, yet momentarily preserved through art. This immersion in the past is not static: the past is not a cold and distant memory but a living place rich with stories. The simple, ordinary objects become symbols of humanity trying to grasp the fleeting beauty of time. His use of color is equally significant: soft, muted tones, as if light and shadow were narrative elements, participating in the image’s construction. Foglietti is not interested in a precise and detailed representation of reality; rather, his watercolors are windows into a world that has dissolved, where memory becomes image. His art is dominated by a desire to preserve what once was. In short, with his refined technique and poetic sensitivity, he offers a reflection on time, memory, and the importance of preserving, through art, those small traces of beauty that would otherwise vanish. Each of his works is an invitation to pause, to observe carefully, to be lulled by the sweet melancholy of the past, and, in this process, to rediscover the evocative power of memory.
GERMANA GALDI, drawing on her family heritage, transforms family objects into something profound, recalling and preserving them. Galdi views the present as a field of inner evolution. Since 1996, she has been developing Reflections and Transparencies, a project of introspection enriched by a Master’s in Art Counseling, testifying to years of personal growth workshops. She uses art to facilitate introspection, focusing on emotional transparency and helping people overcome difficulties through self-awareness and emotional expression. In the Reflections and Transparencies series, Galdi transcends pure aesthetics and invites us into a dialogue with ourselves, using glass and metal as powerful metaphors for human dynamics. Glass, fragile yet penetrated by light, represents the vulnerability and transparency of emotions, while metal, strong and reflective, embodies the strength developed through self-awareness. These materials become tools for inner exploration, where the light passing through the glass or reflecting on the metal symbolizes the relationship between what we feel and the external world. The concept of reflection is not just a physical phenomenon but a profound metaphor for our ability to recognize and embrace our emotions. Like light reflecting and scattering, emotions, once accepted, manifest externally, affecting those around us and strengthening our connections with the world. According to Galdi, being transparent with oneself is an act of authenticity and courage, a process that requires shedding the masks and conditioning imposed by the past. Her ability to evoke a dialogue between light and shadow, between the visible and invisible, is the poetic key to her work. The light passing through the glass, like the experiences we live, changes in intensity and meaning, transforming transparency into a symbol of personal growth. Reflections and Transparencies is not just an artistic journey but also an autobiographical, philosophical, and spiritual journey, representing for Galdi a true lifestyle. The artist invites us to look within ourselves with the same clarity with which we observe reflected objects. Through transparency and the ability to reflect, she urges us to let life pass through us, welcoming emotions and transforming them into light, thus revealing the hidden beauty within us. Since 1996, Germana Galdi has expanded this journey by exploring other expressive forms, such as acrylic abstracts on canvas, with illustrated phrases. However, the central theme remains the same: inner work, bringing to light who we truly are, making our emotions conscious, and narrating our story through art to bring about individual and collective change.
In conclusion, Foglietti represents the memory and aesthetics of the past, while Galdi focuses on the transparency of the soul in the present, a path of personal growth. The transition from Foglietti’s work to Galdi’s is like a natural evolution: from the silent, almost veiled memory, to the living, reflected, and transparent light that not only contemplates the present but embraces and transforms it. While Foglietti invites us to pause, to contemplate and be lulled by the melancholy of lost time, Galdi urges us to continue the journey, to transform what we are through the light and reflection of our experiences. In this sense, the handover between the two artists is not just a change of perspective but an artistic and spiritual evolution: from the contemplative stillness of Foglietti’s past to the evolutionary dynamism of Galdi’s present. Together, these works engage in a dialogue, offering a reflection on the continuity between what has been and what is becoming, taking the observer on a journey through time and the human soul, where memory and transformation meet and merge in a profound and harmonious conversation.
MAURIZIO FOGLIETTI lives in Rome and worked for RAI as a set designer and decorator, creating numerous stage designs for important productions such as Domenica In Fantastico, Fatti Vostri, Uno Mattina, Scommettiamo Che, Indietro Tutta, and Fiction Magazine. He began exploring the technique of watercolor 40 years ago, exhibiting his works in various galleries, where they were met with critical and public acclaim. His watercolors are part of many private collections in Italy and abroad. In 2003, he was awarded the “Premio Agrifoglio” and in 2014, he received a medal from a jury composed of prominent figures from the art and entertainment world.
GERMANA GALDI, the daughter and granddaughter of five artists who passed away prematurely, is a self-taught artist who carries on her family’s artistic legacy, which includes skills in goldsmithing, sculpture, and tailoring. Her mother worked for 40 years in LANCIO photo novels. After experimenting with various techniques, such as nude drawing and painting on fabric, she embraced watercolor in 1996 with her Reflections and Transparencies series. In 2017, she earned a Master’s degree in Art Counseling. Over the years, Germana has expanded her artistic path by exploring other expressive forms, including fashion design sketches, watercolors since 1996, and acrylic abstracts in her “Trame di Vita” series in 2016. She has also created illustrations on personal and social themes, including MyLightArt from 2019, a stylized representation of herself.
Since 2018, she has embarked on a project centered around jazz, exhibiting her works in various expressive forms, including watercolors, acrylics, and illustrations, and even discussing the project as a guest on Radio Vatican. A versatile artist, Galdi participated in the first BIBART and collaborated with artistic director Miguel Gomez, serving as a body painting model and Photo Art Director and Stylist, using her body as an expressive medium. Over the years, she has collaborated with musicians in creating album covers and cover books for poetry, psychology, and sports publications, some of which are well-known. Her works have appeared in two films by director Enrico Vanzina. With a vast exhibition portfolio spanning galleries and artistic events, Galdi continues to explore new expressive mediums while always keeping inner work and emotional transparency at the center of her artistic research. She was a finalist in the World Rare Disease Day event with her first acrylic work, Fragmenta Curae. Since 2016, she has been producing personalized items under her own brand, including t-shirts, tote bags, and notepads. Germana Galdi is active on various social networks and her YouTube channel, where she shares interviews and videos about her work.
