Incubus’ Choice: Close-up on IKO (Diego Tolomelli)

What message(s) do you want to express through your work?

The message that I want to communicate is that stained glass is not a medium that belongs solely to the church but it can be brought into very different contexts, including the bedroom, and can propagate alternative messages, including some more profane ones. My erotic message is playful, and sexuality and sexual diversity is a normal part of life.

Which artists inspire you? Who are your masters?

In terms of inspiration I have to talk about two different types of masters, those of the medium and those of art. In the world of stained glass art I would say that I am inspired by Edward Burne Jones (1833-1893) and Harry Clarke (1889-1931), the first was a pre-Raphaelite painter whose work is very detailed and elegant, the second was a fantastic experimental Irish stained glass artist. In more contemporary terms Gilbert and George and in an erotic vein Pierre et Gilles are simply the best.

What have you gained by being on the internet?

The internet has given me a huge amount of exposure. MySpace helped me as a relative computer novice get my work seen by a massive number of people who also took the time to comment and give me reassurance that I was on the right track. After a short while newspapers in France, Germany, Italy, America and England began to pick up on what I was doing and resulted in yet further exposure.

Did the internet enable you to meet new models, to find new exhibit places?

The internet has given me the opportunity to source ideas and images and meet clients, including William Maltese who commissioned two works, including one for the front cover of a forthcoming erotic novel in the Draqula series.

Has your work ever been censored? If so, how did you deal with it?

Both MySpace and Flickr have a small problem with my art and occasionally censor some of the images of my work. Thrillology seems to upset them the most, and Fetish guy got my entire account deleted on one particularly depressing Sunday. Still, the gain outweighs the pain, and I don’t feel the need to waste energy fighting this form of censorship. Other than that censorship hasn’t yet caused me any problems. Considering the history of this art form is long and colourful and medieval scenes of hell and damnation make many erotic pieces look like a picnic, I am not yet worried about this.

What projects mean a lot to you at the moment?

I have be very productive over the past year and what you see on my site is this year’s work. My projects at the moment is focusing on selling some of my current collection and at the same time demonstrating that my work is not confined to exterior windows and can be part of an interior design. To do this I am collaborating with a variety of local artisans. I also produce a lot of non-erotic work.

Could you tell us a few words about the place you live/work in?

I live and work in Rome, a city of contrasts and contradictions, a city steeped in history and religion and a city where art and culture are devoured with almost as much lustre as pasta and pizza. It’s a city where queer politics is in its infancy and where stained glass has never been seen as anything other than a religious art form. I work in a district of Rome, which is rich in skilled artists, artisans and craftsmen and women, which has been important for me both in terms of inspiration and motivation. Quanto sei bella Roma!

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