Fabio Pietrantonio

Fabio Pietrantonio was born in Turin (Italy) in 1966. Previously assistant of sculptor Gaspare da Brescia, he took part in the creation of works on religious subjects commissioned by the Vatican Museums. Travels and encounters with indigenous populations, such as Australian Aborigines and Native Americans, strongly conditioned his research.

At the centre of the artist’s work there is a recurrent symbol: the knot, a pivotal symbol which establishes a direct connection to his own experience, to iconoclastic associations and to anthropological-cultural readings of various origins. With clear references to Arte Povera, his works are composed by just a few materials: canvas and recycled fabrics, to emphasise the elimination of the superfluous in order to emphasise the more metaphorical and emotional message of the art.

The Artist's Career

Involved in the art sector for more than 20 years, Fabio’s career has consistently played out on an international level thanks to his participation in renowned projects and exhibitions at leading global institutions.

Past projects:

• ‘Stop, Breathe, Respect’, Fiat Flagship, London (2008): Fiat, the prominent Italian automotive group, invited the artist to conceive an artwork for the store, representing a big heart made of over 10,000 rose petals. The project was so successful that, the following year, the mayor of Milan invited him to develop it as a public art project for the city.
• ‘Quotidianity’', Costa Rica National Pavilion at the Venice Biennale (2013): A performative exhibition on family and intergenerational dialogue, developed by the artist and curated by Fabio Anselmi. It consisted of two sculptures, created in collaboration with the prominent artisan, Maurizio Cattelan. They were later exhibited at Australia's largest annual outdoor sculptural exhibition, in Sydney, in 2015.
• ‘Save the Economy’, Milan (2015): A powerful installation presented at Italy’s leading financial publisher, Sole24Ore’s, headquarters. Visitors were directly involved in the exhibition by sharing their own positive thoughts on the economy, participating in a collective installation.

Current and upcoming projects:

• ‘Hug Me’, Gallerie d’Italia, Naples (May-July 2023): A participatory art exhibition, involving local school children, depicting a tree under different perspectives, including drawings, paintings and installations.
• ‘Knot - Murano’ (August-December 2023): Fully artisanal glass knots created in collaboration with world-expert glassmakers, Venini. The first piece realised was exhibited in Porto Cervo in Sardinia.

The next few months will be particularly intense for the artist, as he will be involved in prominent projects, such as a research trip in the U.S., which will be presented at his New York atelier (November 2023); an exhibition of his work at Context Art Miami (December 2023); and a permanent sculpture and installation at Gallerie d’Italia’s headquarters in Milan (March-May 2024).