Sigma

What you are about to read between the covers of this book is the third volume of the collected works of Paolo Cavalli. We first encountered Paolo through his published works and then through several online forums (including some of the non-public ones). In all of these he graciously shared with us his wisdom and experience. Over the years we have exchanged literally hundreds of emails with him in which we have discussed creative and artistic topics in addition to personal and private matters. We have come to know him as a man whose literary skills and empathy are only surpassed by his helpfulness and generosity. We have learned so much from his creative genius, and gained so much inspiration from our conversations, that claiming he influenced our work would be a huge understatement. You will therefore understand how delighted we were when Paolo kindly agreed to allow us to republish his works in printed format. We have always held the view that Paolo’s works were not as widely known or appreciated as they might be or, indeed, to the extent that they deserved. Many of the ideas and concepts that you’ll find within these pages are not only genuine and original but also reveal the mind-set of a deep and unconventional thinker. The first volumes of The Cavalli Files comprise Paolo’s previous published works. The final volumes, under the title Notes from the Lord’s Diary, will offer you something really special: Drafts, outlines and exposés from Paolo’s original sketch books! Parts of these are his ’works in progress’, ideas and concepts that have never before seen the light of day. When Paolo sent us his material we set about revising the text and adjusting the layout. Then we thought long and hard about whether or not we should get it proofread and copy edited. Finally, we decide against it. If you didn’t already know you could probably guess from his surname alone that English is not Paolo’s native language. And even though his skills in the English language are extraordinary you may still spot some Italian syntax and sentence construction. And as you hear the Italian accent coming through the text you may find yourself transported to the sweeping vistas of the land of fine arts - Italia. This voice will, we hope, help you to connect with Paolo as if he was speaking to you personally in your own room. So here we go! We proudly present the third volume of The Cavalli Files: Sigma!