Playing with my hair

So I left Milano and then my home.

I landed in London on the first day of September.

It seems impossible to me that this is the same year I worked with Marcello! Since I started Goldsmiths things got so intense that it seems to be a different year :D A year with Marcello, another year at Goldsmiths, that's how I feel… it's only three months I moved to London, though!!! :)

I was back.

Then, in late September I enrolled and the first email I sent to my family sounded more or less like this:

"Ciao!

I'm sending some updates from university.

I'm very very happy, university costs a lot but here everyone is very nice. They treat me very well and everyone helps me. This first week I have to do bureaucratic things and then, next week, classes will start.

The other day I had a problem to pay the fee. Here everyone is very kind and they explained everything to me. So I fixed it and today I paid without any problem.

Then, I had to ask the password to use college wi-fi, because there's free wi-fi for all the students all around the campus. So I came to the library and they connected my iPhone and my laptop to the internet in five minutes without problems. I'm so happy that here everyone is so nice and everything works well.

Also, from the student office I already got a paper that I can bring to the bank to open a UK bank account. I think next week I'll go to the bank. It's much more convenient to have a UK account.

Moreover, here at college there's a beautiful library, it's like in a skyscraper and there are huge windows and I can see the city while studying. The library opens 24/7. I can studying at the library even at night if I want to, or even on Sunday morning. Always. So, today I'm already here in the library to prepare my presentation for next Monday.

I'm very happy and at college I already have some friends studying here and it is nice when I meet them because I don't feel alone and they can help me as well when I don't know what to do because I'm new here.

I'm sending a picture of my student card. It allows me to get into the library and I can have discount for public transportation and also clothes shops.

Lots of greetings ciao ciao ciao!!!"

Tears.

Being at Goldsmiths is the best.

It means being in harmony with myself,

means having a studio,

and having a studio visit with Metahaven.

Those professionals I used to take as references are my tutors,

and those young artists I used to take as references are my colleagues.

It means seeing those curators I used to take as references passing by my studio,

and being friends with those young curators I wanted to work with.

I can invite people I craved to talk to and talk to them in my studio,

I can talk to those people who wrote those books I used to study,

it means reading those books with the people who wrote them.

It means speaking my language, finally,

my thoughts are respected,

what I do is acknowledged as a profession,

it means I'm asked to be a professional in what I do.

It means I've done it!

but the price to pay was high, that's why I'm always there,

night and day in my studio,

everything is there now and there is where I want to be.

It means people like me for what I want to be liked.

First day of school

Campus

Studio

Printmaking lab view

Richard Hoggart Building

Richard Hoggart Building top floor

2014.11 - Exhibitions in London

Korakrit Arunanondchai 2557 (Painting with history in a room filled with men with funny names 2) (with Korapat Arunanondchai) @ Carlos/Ishikawa - Sep 16

Beware Wet Paint @ ICA - Sep 23

Neïl Beloufa: Counting on People @ ICA - Sep 23

POLYMYTH x Miss Information @ Auto Italia South East - Oct 4

Tracey Emin The Last Great Adventure is You @ White Cube - Oct 7

Cécile B. Evans – Hyperlinks @ Seventeen - Oct 10

Timur Si-Qin Premier Machinic Funerary Part II @ Carl Kostyál + Shanzhai Biennial No. 3 @ Project Native Informant - Oct 13

Unoriginal Genius @ Carroll/Fletcher Project Space - Oct 30

WAREZ @ Carl Kostyál - Nov 13

James Clar: SEEK @ Carroll/Fletcher - Nov 13

WAREZ @ Carl Kostyál + Acting Truthfully Under the Circumstances @ Tenderpixel + Reboot Horizon @ Cell Project Space - Nov 13

Ilona Sagar PROSOPOPOEIA:MANUAL:HAND:BOOK @ Assembly Passage Project - Nov 15

Bloomberg New Contemporaries 2014 @ ICA - Nov 25

Sanssouci Realty ISSUE #1: The Latte Vision with Eloise Bonneviot and Harry Burke @ tank.tv - Nov 27

Tiril Hasselknippe SOPHANES @ Evelyn Yard - Dec 17

& Wild Simo appeared at

Andrea Zucchini Alchemical Studies @ Tenderpixel // met Carolina!! - Sep 5

Mild Translation @ Jupiter Woods - Sep 6

Who Thinks The Future? @ Lewisham Arthouse - Sep 26

Jonathan Baldock Notes from the Orifice @ Vitrine Gallery - Oct 7

Reboot Horizon @ Cell Project Space - Nov 13

6PMYLT - the UK beta test @ Furtherfield Commons - Nov 22

2014.11 - Moments that made me happy

ICA Off-Site: Do You Follow? Art in Circulation #1 with Alex Bacon, Kari Altmann and Anne de Boer! whoa it was nice going to club with them two days before! - Oct 15

Frieze London VIP & Christie's Italian Sale // whoa Camilla in London for three days!! - Oct 16

Whoa! Clara Holt at the studio ♡ - Oct 25

and then, the moment I've been truly happy - Dec 13

yeah, that picture did fit well the morning I was ready to go home after four months in London but actually it was taken the week before, after a slice of lemon cake.

This is the story I'd whisper into a hole in a tree,

the story of how I got that smile.

Being in school feels strange

falling in love

it's like going backwards

she looks gorgeous to me

maybe she is

but it's the way she talks that takes my breath away.

It's not love but it's something that doesn't happen everyday

it's something that happened

I couldn't say how

I saw her

it happened to work together

seeing how talented she is

that's the thing that got me

she didn't have an umbrella, I offered her mine

she approached me at a party and gave me a compliment

I went home thinking at her

then had lunch together and another lunch and yet another

and openings at night, me and her in the packed tube close to each other

some friends

and me and her again in a secondhand bookshop, then running away

I can't remember when it was exactly that Sunday afternoon we spent in my studio talking about Wong Kar-wai

finally with her I could talk about those few things I really like

she started to talk about them before I could even mention...

yes, I'm talking about Wong Kar-wai… she asked me Do you know him?

oh well, he's my favourite director. His films in my locker.

Then, one day I went for lunch to the sixth floor

my sentiments changed

I wrote her a letter

we talked about it only a couple of days later 

nothing to do, we hugged

but the day after she was in my studio again

lunches started to be almost every day

and openings every night

one Sunday she asked to see me in the afternoon

but it was only for ten minutes…

I started to like her very much

then one night we cooked pasta on the sixth floor… that energy…

after lunch in my studio writing Korean

I made her blush, that day I made her blush…

she came to my place, pasta and pizza again it felt good I took her to the bus stop under the rain together

at the party we took a moment to talk. that night was so intense.

I'm sure she knew it, I'm sure she liked it

it felt like love

and the night after we were out together again

going around and around and having a slice of lemon cake finally happy finally my heart was somehow close to be happy

one night I went up to the sixth floor

she inspired me poetry

afterwards she wrote me a letter and gave me a small present

I'm home now, drinking camomilla

it's Christmas and it's snowing outside

I have a flight to London tomorrow.

sm

The 2014.11 Simo Monsi Playlist

♡ Primo giorno di scuola Compilation ♡

And I'm struggling because life goes so fast these days,

I don't know if I should write these things...

but she made my days in London so far,

and if I would ask her if I should hide this irrational kind of intense feeling,

I'm sure she would say

no.

Where did I start from? I was in a relationship with a girl who now lives in Switzerland,

the most beautiful person I've ever met

and I was reading Damien Hirst…

it was more than three years ago.

I renounced many things, I decided to do so.

I took many risks and I almost got mad,

but I won this game.

I changed my life.

I did.

When I think that I haven't seen her for a year and a half, life seems wasted.

I'm angry, I'm furious.

Till it comes home to you

What really matters is what matters to me,

and those two cappuccinos in Peckham definitely mattered to me.

Life is in the making.

Tutto Fantastico

GOLD

Moved to Milano in January. 

Wrote to Marcello Maloberti on Facebook

sent cv

sent portfolio

had lunch together

became his assistant.

Previously featured in vice versa, Italian Pavilion at the 55th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia (2013) & teaching Visual Arts at BA Painting and Visual Arts at NABA – Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano.

Guidelines for being Marcello's assistant at NABA:

Preciso, onesto, energetico

Al suo posto elegante ma non troppo capelli corti

Profumato

Di miele e mele

E limoni di sicilia

Then, wrote course programme, managed schedule of classes, reviewed students' portfolios, attended exams and final dissertations.

However, before starting my new job as teaching assistant I had to face the second step of my applications to the MFA in London on whom I worked so much last year. In fact, both of the colleges I applied for called me for the admission interview. 

In late February I flew to London and attended the interview at the Slade School. Thirty minutes. That moment was one of the most prestigious ones on my academic career. It felt so hard to discuss my works with Slade teachers but, for sure, it was a honour for me to be shortlisted for this year admission interviews.

Back to Milano, spring was not begun yet. NABA was, instead.

Goldsmiths interview had been scheduled.

After the interview, Slade informed me that my application process was unsuccessful. On the contrary, the Skype interview I had with Goldsmiths went well and they offered me an unconditional offer to study at the MFA Fine Art!!! "Congratulations!" there was written on the admission letter I received.

Well, yeah, fine, but… I did not know what to do anymore. I was very happy with my job in Milano. Working close to Marcello was so much inspirational. In Milano I felt at home, I was based and working in Italy finally, and just less than a hour far from my beloved hometown. Also, I love to speak Italian much more than speaking English. Food is excellent, so is weather. In mid-April I was still not sure on what future to choose for myself. My mind was like Milano VS. London NABA VS. Goldsmiths Italy VS. England warm vs cold pasta vs tuna sandwich pizza vs baked potato.

But then, as soon as I told it to Marcello, all the fog in my mind started to vanish. And the warmest applause followed. My question: Should I accept their offer? Marcello's answer: They chose you. Unconditional offer accepted.

Since the moment I officially accepted Goldsmiths offer, Marcello started spreading the word and everything became much more intense than before. And my time in Milano became even more golden. They have been six very engaging months of hard work. Learned tons of new things. Buckets of new words. Met hundreds of brilliant people. Every single student at NABA included. Selvatici. Metal. Sexy.

Guest lecturers we invited at our classes:

Ludovica Carbotta

Elena Bordignon

Luca Pozzi

Nicola Trezzi

Chiara Vecchiarelli

Francesco Cavaliere

Giovanna Silva

Alessandro Agudio

Colleagues & others I worked with (in order of appearance):

Marco Bongiorni

Adrian Paci

Yuri Ancarani

Gabriele Sassone

Andris Brinkmanis

Marco Scotini

Valentina Sansone

Raffaella Cortese

Barbara Casavecchia

Caterina Iaquinta

Bartolomeo Pietromarchi

Lara Favaretto

Stefano Boccalini

Giovanni De Lazzari

Andrea Sala

Elvira Vannini

Marinella Senatore

It is hard to define the pleasure I had meeting and working with them. In late May, during an intense week of openings, I realized how far I had gone since when I had moved to Milano. And while time was flying so fast my feet were literally burning. 

Then, June came. The final show was set up. We were all covered in gold.

Cali Gold Rush @ Lucie Fontaine, Milano 23 June - 18 July 2014

♞ CALI GOLD RUSH on Art * Texts * Pics !!!

Cuori Infranti

And I had walked so fast and kept myself so busy that suddenly I could already see the end of my rush. But actually, there was not only an end. There were four, and nothing would have made me happier.

The morning right after CGR opening we all meet again at Arti Visive III exam w/ Marcello & Caterina ~ we were still sweating gold from our veins. That was a real golden end for our gold rush - 24 Jun

As sparkling as CGR day after it was also the graduation day, when the celebration of a golden saguaro cactus kept us busy for a whole day ⚡⚡ - 8 Jul

At NABA open day things were already moving on and the only thing I wanted to do was staying there as much as I could, breathing NABA till late night - 10 Jul

Then, even CGR came to its FINALE - 20 Jul

Ciao. Parto per due anni.

Cuori d'oro

Clara Holt & Simo Scimiaz @ casa Scimiatz - Holt ♥

Mila e Simo ✌

di notte simo scrive le mail d'amore ☆

Kramig von Scimiaz (｡･ω･｡)

infinita dolcezza ✿

c'è caldo e il congelatore profuma di basilico ♧

Cali Gold Night ♕
& eating Souvlaki at Greek Fusion ♡

Memories are made of gold come i nostri cuori

2014.01 - Trips

Feb 23-25 London - Attended interview at Slade School of Fine Art UCL

Jun 10 Castello di Rivoli - Schiacciati in autostrada + foto da Rivoli

Jul 9 Como - Fondazione Antonio Ratti w/ Tacita Dean

Aug 7-9 Forte Marghera (VE) - Printmaking Workshop by Tettina

2014.01 - Best Exhibitions in Milano

Giorgio Andreotta Calò level @ Peephole - Jan 29

Antoine Catala Heavy Words @ Peephole - May 22

Thomas Grunfeld & Gary Hume IRON & DIAMONDS @ Massimo De Carlo - May 27

Trisha Baga FREE INTERNET @ Giò Marconi - Jun 5 

2014.01 - Best Film watched so far this year

Hayao Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke 

2014.01 - Best moments in Milano!

Feb 5 - First lunch with Marcello!! New life mode: Maccarone

Feb 13 - Had a pizza with Gasconade crew

Feb 25 - Interview at Slade School of Fine Art UCL in London!!!

Mar 1 - Goldsmiths open day in Milano. Met Camilla!

Mar 10 - NABA first class at third year BA Painting and Visual Arts!!

Mar 12 - Went to Christie's at Palazzo Clerici & Johanna Viprey/ISR Milano saga began!

Mar 21 - (senza titolo) (2000) by Tino Sehgal at La Triennale di Milano!

April - Received an unconditional offer for MFA Fine Art at Goldsmiths. Accepted.

May 13 - Met and had a chat with Luca Pozzi at Markus Schinwald's Il dissoluto punito, La Triennale di Milano!

May 28 - MARMELLATE lecture by Marcello Maloberti w/ Fondazione Ratti @ piattaforma galleggiante per expo / alzaia naviglio grande ~ Goldsmiths confirmed!!!

Jun 23 - Cali Gold Rush @ Lucie Fontaine ~ opening *:･ﾟ✧

Jun 24 - Hugo Scibetta + Luca Pozzi @ VIR

Aug 13 - Been offered a place at Frieze Art Fair for the third year in a row. Declined

Aug 15 - Flash Art editor and director Giancarlo Politi says: Goldsmiths is excellent.

Ciao ciao Milano. Sono stato felice :D

Final : Next time… A new beginning!

Living in Milano was wonderful. There I spent a golden spring and a hot summer. But now that the Sun slowly begins to set earlier and earlier I am in the mood to go back home for a bit. And finally, I feel ready to live golden sunsets in New Cross. Because I've done it. I will study at Goldsmiths, where Damien Hirst did. I've done it.

Things happened and much more have to come!

"Success is the best revenge."

- Kanye West

sm

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