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Since I was a child I have always been fascinated by the countless illustrations of the “Corriere dei Piccoli” by Walter Molino’s caricatures and by the Ex libris, an extraordinary miniature. I have known them since my childhood, when I used to look through my grandfather’s books in the attic or in his library in Alberobello. Here there were all kinds of objects but, above all, ancient books of all sizes with precious and rare binding on canvas with a golden title (which I still jealously preserve today). It is in one of these volumes extracted from the library and subtracted from the company of the other books that I met for the first time an Ex libris. (I remember the phrase “Hic liber est meus” exclusively aimed at returning the book). I realized that the small, fine-grained piece of paper pasted on the reference page of the book, that I found in the other volumes, was a printed reproduction of a precious piece of paper, with a fine drawing, multiplied as many times as the number of books owned by my grandfather. It carried a precise design, a “Libra” symbol of equity and the family motto, corresponding to the linear and soft style of Art Nouveau. I realized that the slightly ivory sheet of laid paper told the story of a book belonging to a family of books, and therefore, to a family of people. The choice of the Artistic High School and then of the Academy of Fine Arts in the beautiful, fascinating and unique city of Lecce was determined by a natural attraction for art and the search for how it is possible to create matrices that can multiply images. And here is the alchemical experience of “etching” whose main role is played by the mordants and etches on the amorphous metal plate.

But the Matrix must be carefully prepared in order to withstand the violent action of the mordant. This is the most fascinating moment, the most delicate and dangerous one of the entire Etching, that is when the plate modified in its original structure generates images that materialize themselves in dots, hatches, crossings – strong or delicate contrasts – in the articulated game between black and white.

Matrix and acid enter into synergy and contrast in a sort of struggle for the supremacy of the sign. That sign that was not there before is now present, becomes a sort of witness and interpreter of culture, history and life of every man in every country.  Moving to Rome in the late 1980s, I regained my artistic vocation. I participated in national and international Exlibris competitions and I had the opportunity to tell, interpret and reveal my secrets. Since then over the years my publications appeared on catalogues, then I have received awards, honourable mentions or reports for originality and merit.