In 2001, the creative artist and performer Darrell Fusaro had the opportunity to get closer to his Italian heritage for the first time in his life. His grandparents were part of the first generation of immigrants to the U.S. who needed to blend into the mainstream to survive, without exposing their native culture even at home with their own family.
“Things were very different at that time, it doesn’t mean they weren’t proud of being Italian, they just had to assimilate quickly,” he explains. Therefore, Darrell didn’t know much about Italian customs and traditions, and he couldn’t speak the language.
Born and raised on the East Coast, Darrell Fusaro has been residing in Los Angeles for almost 20 years. After working as a producer of the Emmy-nominated Local Edition on CNN, now he hosts a radio show called “Funniest Thing! with Darrell and Ed” on Unity. FM with his fellow Italian Edward Biagiotti. At the same time, he pursues a successful career as a cartoonist and painter thanks to a long standing passion: “It started at a very young age, when I realized that my drawings could make not only me, but also other people happy. And this still inspires my creations.”
Darrell Fusaro (left) with General Consul of Italy Giuseppe Perrone
His talent and creativity developed over time, but it was only after he joined the U.S. Coast Guard that he decided to attend a fine art school to perfect his technique. While on the ship, he started to turn negative feelings and experiences into something positive through his cartoons, which he shared with the crew and the captain himself, until drawing actually became his life and his job.
Always following his heart and instinct, Darrell Fusaro “stumbled from one adventure to the next”, experimenting different means and languages throughout his artistic production. Among other things, his paintings were exhibited beside Andy Warhol’s in New York City; he worked in the movie industry as a special effects and stunt coordinator as well as a producer; and he authored the critically acclaimed play “The Basement” which also inspired a documentary in 2009.
Based on the true story of the Fusaro family, torn apart by the mysterious murder of Darrell’s grandfather and union official James Fusaro, this autobiographical and cathartic play debuted at the IIC of Los Angeles in 2001.
Darrell Fusaro’s powerful art surprisingly ranges from disturbing topics and images to nice funny cartoons. Another example is represented by the fortunate series of painting entitled “Grown-ups”, where dolls are used to reproduce a kid’s vision of tragic and uncomfortable real-life situations. “I don’t do that kind of paintings anymore. Right now, the focus of most of my work – whatever medium I am inspired to use – is on encouraging others. This is what I really enjoy doing, what makes me feel good,” says the artist.
In fact, his most recent production in terms of both writing and cartooning – including his latest book “What If Godzilla Just Wanted a Hug?, published at the end of 2013 and presented at the Italian Cultural Institute on June 19, 2014 – is inspired by ironic and optimistic situations, “highlighting the positive side effects of growing up Italian-American, and the better-than-expected outcomes of stepping out boldly in life. Sometimes negative past experiences hold us back, and sometimes we are upset not because of what other people think of us but because of what we think that other people think of us.”
His desire to encourage and entertain others also drives Darrell to participate in charity and fundraising initiatives, such as his first appearance at the IIC of Los Angeles in 2001. Just like many other decisive moments in his personal and professional life, Fusaro found himself performing in front of an audience of school kids, but also in the presence of representatives of the Italian Institutions, as a result of coincidence or divine intervention.
According to his philosophy, in fact, the best things in life happen unexpectedly when we are flexible and open to possibilities, even if these scare us and seem to interfere with our plans. He believes that “When we do what we love to share, we become able to attract good opportunities.”
At that time, Darrell Fusaro was about to return to NYC to teach school kids art and cartooning, when he was offered the chance to do the same as a volunteer here in Los Angeles. He was invited to the IIC to explain the meaning of being Italian American to 5-year old kids from South Central LA, an extremely challenging but also exciting and rewarding experience. The event was so successful that he was asked to collaborate again with the Institute, where his newly written play “The Basement” premiered 13 years ago.
And today, Darrell’s fondness for everything Italian, as well as his friendly and fruitful relationship with the IIC and the local community, are still growing and leading to interesting outcomes like the recent book signing and presentation.
Once again, this seems to confirm the artist’s positive attitude: “Never ever swim against the current, no matter how strong the desire to do so is, because we would perish. This is the very first thing that you learn in the Coast Guard, and it is also true in life. Swimming or floating along with the current, eventually you will be drifted ashore.”
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