Giovanni Motta tells us about his JonnyBoy

The Hydron³ Exhibition

From March 26 to April 12, at the Bagni Misteriosi of the Teatro Franco Parenti in Milan, HYDRON³ arrives, the new visionary project by Giovanni Motta – one of the 12 digital artists selected for the VDA Award 2025 and a key figure in the Triennale di Milano.

The protagonist is JonnyBoy, the character created by Giovanni Motta and present in his universe for over twenty years, who in this occasion confronts a futuristic new product: HYDRON³, an impossible substance that promises eternal youth and is intercepted, transformed, and branded.

Giovanni Motta is a painter and digital artist of the Neo-Pop Surrealism movement. His research focuses on the relationship between memory and matter: the everyday object, charged with emotional resonance, becomes a symbolic vector capable of bringing to light what normally remains in the shadows — not as nostalgia, but as latent energy, ready to become an image. At the center of his universe is JonnyBoy, a cartoon figure conceived as an abstraction of youth: an essential and unsettling icon, with an expression suspended between wonder and fear.

How did the idea of JonnyBoy come about? Were you inspired by other artists, including literary figures like Pascoli and his “fanciullino”?

The first important thing: JonnyBoy is not my alter ego. He is the representation of the inner child that we find in every person. I was inspired by manga, their environment, and the aesthetics of their culture, of course also by their color palettes. Jonny is born from my passion for this world, and thanks to my study and passion for 3D graphics, this character came to life.

JonnyBoy represents the abstraction of youth and the inner child through emotional memory. His face is without eyes, and my intention is to convey one of three abstractions: the positive of wonder, the negative corresponding to fear, or a neutral one, astonishment. JonnyBoy is a true mirror to manifest what one feels, as if the viewer were reflecting their state of mind onto him.

My inspiration certainly also comes from the masters of literature, among them: Pascoli is one of the references, Proust is one of my favorite authors, and finally, Donald Woods Winnicott with his transitional objects. 

After Lost Paradise, we see you embarking on a new adventure that is no longer apocalyptic as in the previous exhibition, but one of hope and desire. Is the idea of Hydron meant to be a continuation of Lost Paradise? And how did the idea come about?

Yes, Hydron is a consequence. With Lost Paradise, there was destruction and the survival of youth; with Hydron, we talk about the concept of rebirth where Mother Nature provides the substance of eternal youth and, instead of distributing it equally to everyone, humanity appropriates it, commercializes it, and sells it. On this occasion, I wanted to highlight the conflict between what Jonny represents with his depiction of an absolute concept and the human being who tries to ruin everything: instead of following the cycle of things, he tries to control them, manage them, and make them his own. 

In this exhibition, we see not only the relationship with time and the search for eternal youth, but also an ironic extremization of consumerism and spectacularization. We could also talk about how nature itself is captured and transformed into business and how it is not safeguarded in favor of consumerism. How does JonnyBoy confront the viewer with these themes of reflection?

I agree with this interpretation, and this narrative highlights figures that seek preservation and other things that are born pure and transform. Jonny positions himself as an acting spectator who moves around the room talking, as a non-neutral observer, and observes what we do. I understand nature as a concept of purity, beauty, and an uncontaminated source. Humanity should be grateful and contemplate what the planet has given us in all its purity, yet it seeks to manage and control it. My critique is not of capitalism or business, but of human behavior and how there is always a search for a scapegoat to blame, instead of reflecting on our mistakes.

What advice do you feel like giving to Artsupp readers to better understand your exhibition?

I would advise readers, and what would make me happiest, is that they come to the opening event. On this occasion, I have tried to stage something different from the traditional: we aim to create direct engagement with the viewer, not passive. There will be performances, stories with characters acting, and the vial of Hydron will be for sale! So… don’t miss it, I look forward to seeing you on March 25 in Milan!

For all museums and art in Milan, click here!