Honoring the Artist:

Joe Chierchio

By Marion Wolberg Weiss

This week's cover artist, Joe Chierchio, is a man "on the go," never fully satisfied with doing the same thing year after year. While he recently completed a book with pictures and stories about New York, he is currently working on a new series of mixed media works.

Chierchio's also preparing for his next class at the School for Visual Arts and enjoying New York (and Water Mill) during the winter, especially Manhattan. Wherever he is and whatever he is doing, Chierchio enjoys life, pure and simple.

Q: Your next project is quite different from your other work. What makes it different?

A: It's mixed media, contemporary style, combining photography and drawing on paper. The photography will be done by Cosmo Scianna, whom I've known for 50 years. We grew up together and worked together. It's a collaborative effort; that's different.

Q: What will the series look like?

A: It'll be very sexy, with women models. Soft-porn but tasteful. Cosmo has access to models and sets.

Q: It's apparent you are motivated to start this.

A: I haven't been inspired like this in 10 years. Things get mechanical and boring when you do the same thing. Talking to my students at SVA motivated me because they are into "cutting-edge" art. I learn from them. You're never too old to try new things.

Q: Are there any similarities between this new projects and your past work?

A: The concepts are the same: narrative focus about gritty old New York. But the new series will be executed in a different way.

Q: Give me an example of a story you would create.

A: For example, there would be a nude on a bed, with a sheet around her. We could see a window in the background with a hotel sign outside. Another image could show a pocketbook with different things spilling out, like a cell phone. There's a bridge behind her.

Q: I can see how there would be lots of plots. The images and stories suggest "film noir" in the movies.

A: Right. I want my images to touch all the emotions: greed, lust, voyeurism. I like "film noir."

Q: Yes, you like Martin Scorsese's movies especially. How about Quentin Tarantino?

A: I liked Pulp Fiction and Magnolia, although he didn't direct that.

Q: It's obvious you would love to make a "film noir" movie. Who would you cast?

A: The woman in A Perfect Murder, Gwyneth Paltrow or Scarlett Johansson. When I was in advertising, casting was so important. I learned that if you had two actresses and one was prettier than the other, go with the one who could act better.

Q: You know there have been some good film directors who came from advertising and making commercials.

A: Yes, like Tony and Ridley Scott. Their visuals are great. They say that commercials may be harder to make than a movie. Every second of a commercial has to tell a story.

Q: What did you learn from being in advertising, from doing illustration?

A: Illustrators have boundaries, limitations; painters have no boundaries.

Q: And what do you learn from teaching?

A: You can teach people to paint, but it's ideas that count. Talent is God-given. No one taught Michael Jordan how to shoot baskets.

Mr. Chierchio's work can be seen at New York's Sambuca Restaurant (212-787-5656) at 20 W. 72nd. Street. His website is: www.joechierchio.com

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