In the Studio with Alek O. Words By James Ambrose

I wanted to talk first about your roots in South America. You are originally from Argentina, but have been based in Italy since finishing school there, what prompted the initial move to Europe? 

At the time I was starting my college studies. I didn’t feel like I had a big chance to grow if I stayed in Buenos Aires, each “step” to become an adult was such a pain.  From the university enrolment to getting a driver’s license, queues at the supermarket, at the office, to vote -  so I moved to Milan to study industrial design.

Was it in Italy that your love of visual art really took hold? 

Probably it was in Italy that I realised that visual art was my path, and for the first time, I thought that I could be just an artist.