The series of paintings titled, “The Mermaid Series,” come from images of female Olympic divers and synchronized swimmers. I titled these works as such because I feel that these athletes most closely resemble the freedom and grace of mermaids. In addition, the environment of the water creates a distortion which adds to the other worldly effect.
My work is primarily auto biographical and thus reflects my everyday experience.
I have always been interested in people in social gatherings and audiences watching any type of performing show.
The pinnacle of representational art is the human form, and the composing of human forms to create emotion is my ultimate goal.
Recently I went to a performance of Cirque du Soleil where there were Synchronized swimmers and divers, dancers, and clowns. It was almost too much visually to keep up with; however, the behind the scene activity under the water was the most interesting to me. I would have been much more interested in watching the synchronized swimmers with an underwater video camera. It is in this perspective that my work is based and to me where the true appreciation of that particular sport is realized.
Caravaggio, Bernini and Velazquez comprise the holy trinity of art.
Biography
Mr. Costantino began a traditional course of academic study in art at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and later at the Art Students League in New York. He finally completed his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts at Syracuse University. After receiving his B.F.A.,Costantino was awarded a Ford Foundation Grant for study in Italy where he spent 18 months carving statuary. After returning from abroad Mr. Costantino decided to “get away,” to the mountains of Tennessee to complete his master degree and teach at East Tennessee State University. The artist is originally from upstate New York, and has called Tennessee home for the last twenty-three years. Mr. Costantino has exhibited his work in group shows throughout the United States and Europe. Locally his work is part of the permanent collection at the Knoxville Museum of Art and his paintings have been shown at all the major galleries in Knoxville. He continues to exhibit locally in Knoxville and group shows in the United States.
I often fight with how much fact and how much fiction make a work of art.