Artist's Statement:
I create assemblages and metal collages, primarily using found objects and repurposed lithographed metal. This printed metal, or “tin”, comes from deconstructed product containers and old signage. The themes or narratives found in my work come from my own life experiences, as well as stories that the found objects themselves may suggest. I grew up in the Ohio River rustbelt. From the time I was a preschooler I have had a mark-making tool in my hand. However, the rustbelt, in general, is not a supportive environment for one who wishes to make art his life’s work. Growing up, almost every adult male in our neighborhood was a steel worker, miner or other blue collar worker. I ended up working in the steel mill myself. I went into the mill for two years, but it took me eleven more years to figure out how to get out. The themes or narratives found in my work come from my own life experiences, as well as stories that the found objects themselves may suggest.
Robert Villamagna - Wheeling, West Virginia 2022
