A Dreamer Who Makes Others Dream
A Tailor Who Tailors Sartorial Scenes
I find myself in front of a creative genius who moves from architecture to interior design to painting to set design. A true Italian intellectual. His name is familiar in every Italian household from the golden era of television for sleek and elegant set designs and has won Italy international awards for his set designs. For years San Remo Festival stage in Italy and Moulin Rouge in Paris have had his signature on the set designs. I was anxious for this talk, yet I found a very humble, down to earth counterpart. He is one of those rare types who manages to, regardless all the stones that life throws one’s way, keep that little curious kid alive inside. What was supposed to be a 15-minute talk easily stretched over an hour and I wished I had stolen more time of his.
Aynura: The purpose of this interview is to explore Italian excellence thru the stories of people who create it. Studying your work, I have a feeling that your passion and life work have been about creating persona, sort of character.
Gaetano: I would start with the question “who is a set-designer”. I’ve chosen this profession because it brings together all other artistic activities – painting, architecture, sculpture and many more. I am a set designer, I do scenography for theatre, TV. But I am also a painter. I’ve studied architecture. Eventually I didn’t pursue it as a profession as I started to work at television at a very young age. Set design is different from all these artistic activities. It is a lot about fantasy, ephemeral extravagance and energy that absorbs the audience. It all starts with a piece of paper, but it is about dreaming. I like to dream, and I like to make others dream. My task, I think is to astound just like the artists of the 17th century did. All the works of Bernini, Borromini were scenographic, theatrical. I like baroque style, it’s synonyms with chiaroscuro (play of dark and light). Rome, with its churches and palaces is a baroque city, it has so much to be inspired from. In baroque style nothing is simple and plain. The frames, mouldings are dynamic. It emits energy.
Aynura: Were you born in Rome?
Gaetano: I am Roman, that is right. My father was Roman, and my mother was German. Living in the city of master pieces, one runs the risk of overlooking these beauties and great examples. We studied these master pieces in textbooks as schoolboys. But now I pass by Colosseum every day without giving much thought to it. I think I have been fortunate to live in this city. Growing up in a city of great examples of baroque style has probably done its part in the theatrical set designs that I create. As I quickly mentioned, Baroque is theatre, dynamism, motion, play of dark and light. Caravaggio is baroque. He is scenographical, yet there is truth, sense of reality in his works. Thru interplay of light and dark in his works he brought God close to humanity. Rococo is exaggeration, ornate, excess in embellishment and a lot of curves. The 1800s is characterized with return to neo-classism. In my small work, in set-designs, I’ve used all these styles, as well as renaissance style, specific colors, the pastel, warm colors of façade and interior that is typical to Roman and Venetian artists.
Aynura: Was there someone, a name who you looked up to, was your idol when you were little?
Gaetano: When I was a schoolboy, Rai used to run a family entertainment show on Saturday evenings. Always before the show I’d hear the name of the set-designer in the announcement part – set design by Cesarini di Scenagalia. I wanted to be Cesarina di Scenagalia. This dream took me to an artistic lyceum. It was a very difficult one to enter. My father wanted me to follow my uncle who used to work at a bank. He sent me to a different school, and I did everything to fail there. My mother knew that I laid my eyes on the artistic lyceum. Back in time she herself wanted to study there too. But she was coming from a well-known family. For the class my mother’s family belonged to sending a daughter to a creative school with half naked dancers meant losing that daughter. My mother contented herself with playing piano but kept dreaming. She saw her dreams come true thru me. She silently sided with me, and I secretly took the entrance exam. My father’s intention wasn’t bad, he wanted me to have a secure job. Later I enrolled at architecture and set design courses as I wanted to be a set designer.
But with years my father came in terms with my choice. He was even proud of me. After he passed away, I found a folder where he kept all the articles published about me on newspapers, magazines. He used to cut out all of them to keep in a separate place.
I started to work very early. Always at Rai 1. First, I was assigned to Bolzano [north of Italy close to Austria] at 24 years old where everything was in German. It was a good opportunity to build understanding of the local culture. Later I returned to Rome to eventually be in charge of the set design of all entertainment programs of Rai starting from 1970s. The elegance of set design of those years is exceptional. Fantastico, Studio 1, Lunapark were among the most watched entertainment shows of that time. Each one of them had a distinct set design.
Looking back, I realize in search of novelty I’ve created some things that could have been predecessor of modern technologies. For example, the screen where I wrote Europa with Christmas light bulbs was probably predecessor of led wall. I used to manipulate the colors of those light bulbs thru computer by playing the degrees of red, green and blue – at 33.3 percent of all there the light becomes white. Obviously, I could play with different tones. Now neon works just the same way with the same tones of colors. I should have patented that invention. Unfortunately, I didn’t. Now for the set design of San Remo I include led wall for some parts. But back then I used to create it in my own way. Even when I use led walls, I have a supporting structure in place. It is not a good idea to totally rely on digital walls. I see myself as a tailor. I tailor design the set to the mood of the program, express this mood in a symbolic design as it is not a set design for movie, but for TV and theatre.
Aynura: You mean set design is a sort of sartorial work?
Gaetano: Yes. It is a sartorial work and I see myself as a tailor. Everything I create is about creating a world that is ephemeral. Caravaggio’s paintings, the style of 17th century, interplay of light and shadow is my theatrical world. It is the style of my paintings. In a way, my work is to create sartorial personalities.
Aynura: There are different types of set designs as I understand, which one you think is your territory?
Gaetano: I am more oriented for television and theatre. As for the movie, I can do it, but I’ll say something that may sound absurd. Movie set-up has little space for imagination. I mean, movie making starts with a scrip, right? There is a guide for every little detail. Going thru the guide, I see what is in there. But for let’s say San Remo, the song contest there is no guide. This gives me more space for fantasy and creativity. Also gives space for metaphoric, symbolic expression. I prefer creative freedom in this sense.
On the other hand, at theatre how much the audience can experience depends on the type of tickets they buy. Usually, the front seats are considered the best. In fact, they are one of the most unlucky seats. One should always have the chin up moving left to right to have a decent view of actors, still wouldn’t see the legs because of the height of the stage. The best place is presidential seat, also called “Prince’s seat”, the spot where the spectator doesn’t have to move the head to watch. I create sets that are transmitted thru television screens. My work is to have the audience dream while watching from home. Back in time when I started the TV was a small box, it was a greater challenge. Now screens have grown larger, but the task is still the same.
Aynura: What was your first set design?
Gaetano: It was for Rai 1, for a cultural-journalistic debate program that was called “Diciamo la verità”. I was hired as a one-time assistant designer. Full-time set designers of Rai were not interested in journalistic and debate programs. Thus, I was called in. They needed a set design that could be assembled and dismantled every week to allow other programs to go on. I came up with a “globe” made with plastic and plasters that created an impression of starred skies. Back then Rai had a machine that could print anything plastic under vacuum. It had cost almost nothing and could be placed at one corner of the studio and do not interfere with other programs.
Aynura: Every set design was about inventing something new. You basically were an inventor. Your own most favorite set?
Gaetano: First, the Rockpolitik for Adriano Celentano. I have done all of his set designs and I think that was one of the most beautiful set designs. Besides it was an entertainment program with songs. This set designs brought me Rose d’Oro award, the festival that takes place the Montreux in Switzerland. It is an international awards festival in entertainment broadcasting and programming. Three programs – Al Paradise, Il Ribaltone and RockPolitik were nominated and all three were awarded in “international” category. Besides for its size RockPolitik was maybe the largest scene created in Europe.
Aynura: Does Italy still nominate programs to this festival?
Gaetano: No. Italy doesn’t have Italian programs anymore. They work with imported formats, for example Dancing with the Stars. But our set designers are sought after and employed all over the world outside Italy. These imported formats run the risk of flattening and loss of individual cultures and traditions. We run the risk of losing our DNA. Everything becomes cheap led wall which flattens fantasy. Set designer gets replaced by image director with a reduced work and result. Back then Academy of Arts didn’t have set design study in Europe. It was only us who took it seriously and advanced this area of study as a discipline.
Aynura: Back to the modern technology, what are your thoughts about the interaction of these two?
Gaetano: I have been in set design for more than 50 years so I think can say a word or two.
If I had had the tools and illumination equipment that are out there now when I had started, I would have created different things. But I started at a different time with different resources. When I started, little bulbs were used for lightning. Then came neon. At that time clean and elegant designs were what we looked after, especially in times of black and white screen. Then came the color screens. Also, a different sort of technology. My point is modern technology is a good novelty to enrich set-design, but we should be careful not to abuse its use. It should serve as a tool to create set design, but not to replace it totally, to enhance it, to not reduce it. We should be careful not to turn the set into a night club. If the design of the set requires, it is good to use projectors as a complementary detail. Today projectors and lights are taking over conceptual design. It has become a common practice to use only led walls. If led turns off, everything goes dark. If the whole stage is made of led screens, to me it’s death of set design. There is no depth. Always there should be images running in the background if not it all will go dark. I also use a lot of technology but always in a way that it serves to the structure of the set design that I am building. I feel that we are losing Italian art in our set design. You know Moulin Rouge? Italian art is what they want on their set. Also, in the US. Because Italians know how to bring together different forms of creativity such as architecture, sculpture and art to create theatrical scenery. If we do not keep this knowledge alive, we will be losing set-design workshops that are fundamental to this industry. Loss of set design means loss of costume design, craftswork. We need to avoid this loss at all costs. This is what our DNA is, it is losing our DNA.
Aynura: What would your advice be to the youth who want to pursue career in set design?
Gaetano: First of all, follow your passion. Secondly, stay up to date, know what is happening in the sector. Specifically, set design that is not related to theatre only anymore, there is cinema, video, television which are probably more important now. Moreover, set design is not about designing a scene, it is about finding solutions to what are beyond set design, such as interior design, sculpting, architectural issues. Eventually, one tries his hand at many things, it is a journey. For example, I’ve designed hotel foyers, restaurants in Rome, gardens in Albania etc. Enthusiasm, experience and keeping up with time are fundamental for success. Traveling, exposure, and having cultural sensibility is also very important for this profession.
Aynura: You’ve worked with legends, give me some names.
Gaetano: From internationals for example, Liza Minnelli. I’ve done all concerts of Pavarotti. Chelentano, Gigi Proietti, Benini and so many more. I was responsible for all of the entertainment programs of Rai 1. People used to watch us for good content and matching elegant set design. Back then the most important show was on Saturday evening with 20-22 million viewers. I worked with the best costume designers, musicians to put out a program that had quality content and matching set design. They were author programs, each program used to carry signature of a handful professionals. That was a great responsibility, there was sense of ownership for each detail of the programs.
Aynura: What would be your advice for young, aspiring nations like mine? How could these young nations benefit from the Made in Italy know how and excellence?
Gaetano: Before everything else, workshops. Employ an expert or two from Italy and headhunt young talents of your country to practice in these workshops to restore the DNA of your culture. Learn techniques for painting, design, architecture along the way. Create internally to avoid importing from outside. That would lay a good foundation. Otherwise, one depends too much on external capacity. It becomes very costly, also runs the risk of losing one’s own cultural flavor. The external expert needs to live there to understand and feel the culture. Try to avoid one-time service providers. Design should be relatable to the local people. Disciplines such as architecture, sculpture, restoration etc. are interesting fields to study. But set design is interplay of all of these and many other artistic and creative activities. The objective should be to become self-sufficient in bringing together artistic and creative activities of one’s own and modernize it.
