Courtyards flicker into motion, windows light up and archways pulse to electronic soundtracks in the cinemagraphs of Andrea Mottinelli.

The Milan-based creative trained as an architect before deciding to pursue his passion for graphic design and photography. His Instagram feed bring together the three disciplines in vibrant technicolour, while giving a witty spin to some of Italy’s most storied structures.

‘My main inspiration is cinema,’ says Mottinelli. ‘I’m totally in love with the colours of Wes Anderson; the geometry of Sorrentino; the surrealism of Baz Luhrmann; the elegance of Tom Ford; the symmetry of Kubrick and – obviously – the maestro, Fellini.’

Like a director, Mottinelli uses human protagonists in his works and often picks buildings with complicated pasts.

‘My favourite style to shoot is Fascist architecture,’ he says. ‘It’s very scenic, monumental and particularly suitable for the kind of photos I love.’

The self-taught designer uses Photoshop and Adobe Premiere to bring his creatives to life, often pairing the images with music that pays homage to the building’s heritage. In his cinemagraph of Piazza della Loggia for example, he used the track ‘Palladio’, named for the building’s architect. Contemporary buildings meanwhile have been given a techno and electric hook, teamed with flashing colours.

Presently he’s developing a series of silent cinemagraphs, so that ‘everyone will hear whatever music he thinks works best while looking at them’.

Mottinelli’s not shy about inserting himself into his works either: ‘I believe that the secret of success on the social media is to show – in one way or another – your life. Your followers feel part of your adventures, as if they are traveling with you.’

Speaking of which, he just spend his summer exploring Toscana, Lazio and Calabria… Watch his Instagram for more.

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