For our latest Create Your Own Vision interview, we sat down with Toronto-based Italian contemporary figurative artist Fabrizio Sclocco. Fabrizio has created a installation in our Annex store, check it out if you're in the area!
I moved to Toronto in 2012 from Pescara, Italy. Originally, I studied architecture, but my journey took an unexpected turn, leading me into the film industry, where I now work as a set designer. Over the years, I held down multiple jobs as I adjusted to a new country, slowly finding the stability that allowed me to think beyond survival. When I finally felt financially and mentally ready, I began reconnecting with my creative self—the part of me I had set aside for far too long.
Leaving Italy had been a way to break free from family expectations and explore new perspectives, but it wasn’t easy. The transition came with emotional challenges, and for a time, I repressed my creative side. It was only after returning to Italy for a visit that I felt a surge of inspiration to draw again. I felt "HOME" again after 7 years. That experience reignited my passion, reminding me of why I love to create. Since then, I’ve committed myself to this path as a self-taught artist, exploring art in ways that resonate deeply with who I am today.
The journey that led me to my current style of work is an evolving process, much like life itself. It’s been shaped by deep layers of personal experience. My art reflects these experiences and echoes back to my childhood. I found myself driven to create beauty as a way to reclaim my identity, especially after years of living by someone else’s expectations. I began to find care and understanding within my work. Each piece I create speaks to my story, inviting others to see beyond the surface and explore these unspoken narratives.
My influences and inspirations come from a blend of history, theatre, art, architecture, and psychology. I focus on genderless figures, exploring spirits and emotions, rejecting societal labels and the conventional systems we grow up with. My work is an act of defiance against the societal norms that dictate gender roles, especially those instilled in us from an early age, from both parents.
I strive to stay as authentic as possible, painting my internal emotional landscape in a way that resonates with those who can relate to its depth and sensitivity. I recognize that my art isn't for everyone—it speaks most deeply to those experiencing something aligned with me or those particularly sensitive to its nuances. Vulnerability, especially in men, deeply inspires me, and through my work, I explore themes of regaining power, challenging societal constructs, and uncovering a more honest self.
Even though I have worked on many sets that I’m really proud of, and I enjoy seeing my designs come to life. However, my favorite art project I’m most proud of was my solo exhibition at the italian community center "Columbus Center" in 2023. It featured a collection of 40 selected artworks that displayed my process from 2018-2023. It was amazing to see my past few years of paintings all together across a two-floor space.
I wish it had a better response, but moving people and art collectors in Toronto outside of the main gallery spaces is very challenging. Immigrants often don't have the same opportunities or access to these events as locals do, and it’s always harder for them to reach those spaces
My work for Ollie Quinn is heavily influenced by my culture and the environment where I grew up. I wanted to artists like Stanchi and Dei Fiori, who were known for their early 1600s style of mirror decoration. Back then, mirrors were often used to create an expensive, luxurious look, enhancing the space and the person in a materialistic way. For this piece, however, I want the viewer to experience a different kind of enhancement. The mirror and the art together invite them to engage more playfully, allowing them to interact with the artwork and explore a deeper connection to themselves, beyond just an aesthetic or materialistic reflection.
Even though I have worked on many sets that I’m really proud of, and I enjoy seeing my designs come to life. However, my favorite art project I’m most proud of was my solo exhibition at the italian community center "Columbus Center" in 2023. It featured a collection of 40 selected artworks that displayed my process from 2018-2023. It was amazing to see my past few years of paintings all together across a two-floor space. I wish it had a better response, but moving people and art collectors in Toronto outside of the main gallery spaces is very challenging. Immigrants often don't have the same opportunities or access to these events as locals do, and it’s always harder for them to reach those spaces