The project selected to be subsidized under the Industrial Development and Promotion of Digital Archives and e-Learning Project this year was the invitation to world famous artist Giuliano Ferri by Grimm Press to draw illustrations of three creatures: Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), Pearly nautilus (Nautilus pompilius) and Penguin in the National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium (NMMBA) collection. What interesting things happened while he was drawing? What messages does the artist want to send to readers around the world using his brilliant drawing skills? TELDAP e-newsletter is very proud to have an opportunity to interview this famous artist, the interview facilitated arranged with the assistance of Grimm Press and the “Industrial Development and Promotion of Digital Archives and e-Learning Project.”

The artists’s impressions of Taiwan
TELDAP newsletter editorial team (editor below): This is the third time you have visited Taiwan. What are your impressions of it?
Giuliano Ferri：My impression of the people of Taiwan is that they are very warm and as friendly as Italians, so for me coming to Taiwan is like going home! This is my third trip to Taiwan but its history, beautiful scenery and friendly people give me new pleasant feelings each time! 

Impressions of National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium
Editor：I know museums are must-see places for you when you travel. When you cooperated with the NMMBA this time did you have any special experiences or feelings with regards to the museum and its collection?

Giuliano Ferri：My visit to the museum, during which I walked in a special space with whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) and other amazing sea creature swimming above me, was an extraordinary experience and I only wish my family could see the same mysterious sea creatures. I hope I can bring them with me next time I visit!

Editor：I also hope you can visit Taiwan again! Your drawings are always full of animals. Which is your favorite one? What did you like most about doing these drawings for NMMBA？

Giuliano Ferri：I like nocturnal creatures, especially owls. Their faces always are very expressive, and are as interesting as the faces of people. I also like bears. Bears have lived in Europe for tens of thousands of years. As conservation consciousness has risen Europe has begun bear wild release programs, allowing them to roam freely in the wild. I think this is a very important development.
The three creatures I drew for the museum—Beluga whale, Pearly nautilus and Penguin— this time all have something I like about them. Take the beluga whales, the call out in response to the sonar waves sent out by their fellow whales in the ocean and I like this sound.

The shell of the pearly nautilus is very beautiful and its antennae are funny. Penguins are also amusing. If you look closely at the people around you, you will see that some walk like penguins, including my mother (laughs). The three are interesting in their own ways!

Editor：Did anything interesting happen in the creative process this time?
Giuliano Ferri: Children are the target audience of the drawings so they have an educational role and I hoped, with the precondition that the actual biological features of the animals were retained, to draw them in a slightly cuter way to attract children and introduce them to the mysteries of sea creatures. For example, my beluga whale was drawn to look a little sweeter than they actually are.  

The pearly nautilus was most difficult to draw because, although it has an attractive shell and funny antenna, it actually looks a bit like a monster or demon. It was not so easy to draw it in a cute way. My daughter Alice is three years old and when she saw a photograph of one she didn’t seem to like it much and was maybe even a bit scared. However, when I showed her my finished pearly nautilus drawing she said “OK, not bad…” (laughs)

Editor：As the drawer of these illustrations for NMMBA the do you have any thoughts you’d like to share with people around the world?
Giuliano Ferri： I would like these drawings to show children the splendor of nature and the beauty of diversity. In my cooperation with the museum this time, seeing the elegant posture of the sea creatures I felt the magical power of an omnipotent Creator. This Creator exceeds all the creators in various religions, and is the Creator who really made the Earth and all the life on it. The Creator had to be really imaginative to make these beautiful creatures that live with us on this earth. In this creative process I felt the existence of a Creator who is beyond religion and also realized that life is beautiful!

Editor: Grazie！
Giuliano Ferri：Thank you

You can visit Vcenter and type Giuliano as the keyword to view all videos. The Interview of Mr.Giuliano Ferri is arranged in the languages of Chinese and Italian.