Federico Blu di Prussia

Federico Blu di Prussia is a printmaker from Vicenza, Italy working mainly with linocut and rubber stamping. Federico studied at the Academy of Fine Art in Venice and then at the Academy of Fine Arts in Urbino. During his studies he also attended courses to deepen his abilities and knowledge about intaglio. Here, he learned to use burin on copper thanks to a week workshop held by Fabiola Mercandetti and Marco Innocenzi in 2015. In 2017 Federico also observed the combination of wood types and illustration during a course entitled Animal Flash Cards in Linocut and Letterpress curated by Nick Morley and Veronica Bassini of Anonima Impressori. Ever since this workshop, he has continued to be inspired by Nick, choosing to express himself with linocut and relief with the combination of manners, materials, sensibilities, and people.

Back in 2018, as part of his life in Urbino, together with other students of the Academy of Fine Arts Federico formed an artistic collective called Thípigraphia. This involved a collaboration with illustrators from ISIA in Urbino, developing printmaking skills and experimenting with ways to combine different capabilities and feelings. Again, he worked with Veronica Bassini, and thanks to her, started an intense frienship and collaboration with Matteo Totaro and the private press Officina del giorno dopo. Since 2019, Federico has returned every Summer to Monte Sant’Angelo, a beautiful and sunny apulian village in the Gargano. He attents with friends where together they develop various printing projects combining linocut, rubber stamps, and letterpress for poster, postcards, graphics or other editions.

After graduating in 2020 and with the COVID emergency, Federico returned to his hometown of Vicenza. From that moment, he founded his personal project, Federico Blu di Prussia. Federico created this character to accompany the idea of antique, and respectful of the tradition of Print “that only an historical person like Frederick II of Prussia can express”. The name also remarks his own name and one of his favorite shades. The blue is a symbol of autism, reflecting Federico’s job as a support teacher of middle school with a Master in Special Needs and Inclusive Education.

Federico dedicates his time and energies to develop printmaking as a way to experiment with collaboration and other approaches. He became a member of Tipi Strani, an association from Schio in the Vicenza province that saves and spreads wood types with letterpress workshops dedicated to the local community of workers, students, and designers. He is part of this project together with some friends with an aim to create a space for artist residencies. In the meantime, Federico also works with pen drawing, graphic, illustration, and linocut for brands and agencies, and continues to organise and travel all over the Italian peninsula for held courses based on the teachings of Nick Morley, Veronica Bassini, Stephen Fowley, and all of his printmaking masters.

@federicobludiprussia

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