Make a note of this name: Wilfred Kappa. Is there anyone in Lignano who doesn’t know him? Or, while strolling around the town, hasn’t seen one of his creations?

This eclectic, versatile artist is a leading figure in the local cultural life. You can feel his presence everywhere. In fact his unconventional paintings decorate every corner of the seaside resort. Born in Istanbul, he elected Lignano as his artistic residence almost thirty years ago.

His painting is anything but traditional, it is bursting with energy, fresh and contemporary. Tomatoes are gigantic, peaches are vibrant. His colours are pure and his shapes assertive. A real find. I’ve been interested in his work for years, when his studio was still on the promenade of Lignano Pineta, two salt-encrusted windows overlooking the sea.

It was love at first sight. A sunset, a seagull’s wings, the colours of reflections on the sea. His paintings make you day-dream. My favourites are his multicolour fish.  If he were a musician he would follow a Caribbean beat. If he were a cocktail he’d be a Sex On The Beach. If he were a colour he’d definitely be red, a recurring element in his work.

Today, the Turkish-born artist displays his work near the Red Lighthouse, in a more secluded spot yet close to the harbour. His studio is a temple of creativity. You can see him working on canvases of all sizes and all kinds of objects: acrylic, wood, canvas. From fridges to sanitaryware, store mannequins to old windows, any surface can be used to give shape to art. Any material can be used in his work.

Wilfred Kappa attracts hosts of tourists who stop to look at his eccentric creations. You must see him!