Fabrizio Birimbelli
Instagram: @pupazzaro
What is your story of fascination with football?
Grown up in a Roma fan family I didn’t really had a chance. And the first time you enter the Olimpico Stadium as a child and you hear all the people chanting and you see all the flags waving … you are bound forever.
Do you create football art professionally or is it a hobby?
It is a passion. I am a computer programmer for living. I always loved illustration, graphics and art in general. Football art gave me some «notoriety» so I ended up doing it more frequently.
What football event or story has made an unforgettable impression on you?
I witnessed the 3-0 victory against Barcelona in the quarterfinals of UCL some years ago. I can’t describe what we felt in the stadium: embracing people you don’t know, crying as a child, all a mix of emotions that is hard to forget. I remember I couldn’t sleep all the night cause of the adrenaline.
Do you attend the stadium, and if so, which team’s matches do you try to get to?
I am not what you will call habitué, I’m not at the stadium any given Sunday; but I love supporting Roma during the European cup campaigns. During the last years I have seen almost all of Roma’s home games in European cups.
What are your interests besides football and art?
Music, I don’t play any instrument but I love rock music. But I am lucky enough to have a daughter who has the same passion for music and the gift of singing and playing any instrument she find. So it’s private concert all the time 😍
Could you highlight a few of your works that make you especially proud and explain why?
I loved particularly working of a series called “football propaganda” during the World Cup in Russia, I made a mix of football and soviet era posters.
The cultural FC project: great artists from the past wearing their national kits posing as modern footballers. I loved this one too cause it gave me the opportunity to know some artists more and imagine what would it be to place them in the present time.
The Japanese print series, called Football Samurai. I love Japanese art and working with such style was very challenging but I think it went out pretty well.
Who are your favourite football artists?
I knew many during these years, just to mention some:
@charlesdrawin, a talented guy from Mexico, his ability to do epic and iconic stuff is a continuous source of inspiration;
@emiliosansolini, what he does with the football crests and logos is amazing;
@gonzarodriguez, Gonzalo works for the main football clubs in South America, his work is legendary.
Share a funny story that happened to you personally or that you witnessed (not necessarily related to football).
As a football fan every match is pure madness: love makes you do the weirdest things. I got a friend who ends up the games closed inside the bathroom because one time Roma scored while he was there and I have to say: it works sometimes. When the team is blocked on a tie and they are forcing we look at him and say «it’s bathroom time» to unleash his superpower.