One morning seven years ago Giuseppe Rosano woke up and thought: “I want to create a painting.” So the founder of London shipbroker Alibra Shipping bought some materials and did just that.
Giuseppe, who hadn’t done anything artistic since leaving school 27 years ago, says he was always good with his hands and interested in design and architecture.
Teaching himself, he has moved through various art forms, from seascapes to abstract and pop art paintings and into sculpting with wood and marble, and now making objects. It gives him insight into the day job as well as helping him relax.
“The period market is all about putting two people together and coming up with an idea. It’s what I do when I pick up a block of marble to sculpt, or a blank canvas,” he says.
“Many times when I am painting or sculpting, ideas will come into my mind about which ship or which charterer, or what someone should be looking into — maybe a thought that I did not fully twig at the time but I can now because my mind is clear to think.”
Giuseppe was always making things as a child and thinks that passion was suppressed as he moved into adulthood. It is 12 years since he set up Alibra on his own and it now has a dozen personnel. He has a strong work ethic, but adds: “It got to the point where I needed to express myself artistically in some shape or form.”
Sculpting in marble and wood took him into more tactile forms and led to a desire to make things that have a purpose as well as being artistic. So he is now creating desk ornaments and small metal and marble tables, and recently restored an old lounge drinks cabinet.
His art reflects his interest in creating complex shipping projects. Giuseppe is less excited by the “vanilla flavour” deals that many brokers focus on. It even extends to the care taken with presentation of charterparty documents carefully gift-wrapped and presented to clients.
He is proud to say he has sold a few works, but his art is mainly for his own fulfilment.
Alibra’s broking business remains of paramount importance, but he believes his growing interest in art has made him more productive and given him a better work-life balance that he can share with colleagues and clients.
“I consider myself very privileged to have these opportunities,” he says, adding that in these days of tough markets he would like to bring more joy into the industry. “A little courtesy goes a long way, and we all need to remember that everyone is just trying to do the best they can in a day.”
