If you take a trip on Instagram and you are ironic, irreverent and a Napoli fan, you cannot miss the profile of graphic designer Mattia Cosentino. Neapolitan by birth but a Roma fan, shy but with a cheeky creativity, he told me about his world and everything he needs to “get out”.
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Tell me about your path.
It started at school, I studied advertising graphics and photography, while I was studying I started working as a photographer's assistant. I worked on holidays, trying not to miss school.
And then?
Then I worked two and a half years in a printing workshop, there I got totally hooked on the world of printing. I had studied this world at school but had never come into contact with it.
What did you produce specifically?
Notebooks, diaries and the like. My former owner allowed me to use the workshop after working hours to let my creativity run wild.
OK...
Then it occurred to me to design my own brand, it was called Cosentino, I made niche notebooks. I'm a notebook freak!
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And how did that go?
Well, I made myself known by participating in design markets in Naples. It was more or less 2015/2016.
Later, I started collaborating with illustrator friends who were giving their support for even more specific product customisation. I changed the name to CoseLab at that time.
Is it still going on?
Yes, but in other forms it is an evolving project. Clearly having to work on something else has affected the fact that I can't dedicate myself 100% to my project.
Does it depend on the time of life?
You could say so. Today the project is called Esco Cose, depending on what I experience I have one type of inspiration that influences me rather than another. I am an artist I need to express what I have inside, so I go with the flow.
Esco Cose is a good name!
Thank you! It's a play on words, as I told you I would like this project to literally let out everything I have inside. Cose is also an abbreviation of my surname, Cosentino.
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How does it work?
I have a very light concept born for fun. The last birthday I celebrated was neo-melodic themed. I'm Neapolitan!
I follow...
I created a gadget for guests and gave them themed T-shirts as prizes for games I had designed.
The graphics featured love phrases from neo-melodic songs interpreted through a modern and ironic visual style.
And after the birthday?
I put them on IG: I had a great response and so my gadgets became real 'products'.
Let's talk about Naples, since you mentioned it over and over again.
I am very attached to my city. It is a place of total inspiration. Touring the city, discovering all its treasures is a formidable school for a creative person.
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In recent years it has become a brand.
Absolutely so. There is the theatrical element. The city is an open-air stage, whatever communication takes place is real and direct and carries a lot of history. Storytelling is the key to any brand, right?
Right. Is it always present in what you produce?
It's impossible not to put a pinch of Naples in everything I do. Even though I am an anomalous Neapolitan, I support Roma.
This is incredible!
I've had a special faith since I was a child, but I certainly didn't miss the chance to celebrate the Scudetto in Naples... for magic.
Tough question: if you had to create a graphic at this exact moment what would you do?
OK... right now I imagine a tropical beach with GOOD HOLIDAYS written on it.
A postcard!
Yes, I like postcards.
Photos Mattia Cosentino
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