Alessandro Scarabello on Painting, Identity, and the Masks of Power
In a conversation with Artribune, Alessandro Scarabello, an Italian artist born in 1979 in Rome and currently residing between Brussels and Italy, reflects on his evolution as a painter. He transitioned from early figurative pieces to themes of identity and the grotesque. Scarabello pursued his education at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma (BFA) and later at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) in Ghent (MFA), showcasing his work at prestigious locations such as the Royal Museums of Fine Arts and Palazzo delle Esposizioni. He identifies three distinct phases in his artistic practice, including the 2011 series 'Uppercrust,' which critiques class structures, and his 2016 exhibit 'The Garden of Phersu,' connecting ancient masks with modern concerns. He emphasizes the need for greater support for contemporary Italian painting.
Key facts
- Alessandro Scarabello was born in Rome in 1979 and lives between Brussels and Italy.
- He earned a BFA from Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma and an MFA from Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) in Ghent.
- His work has been shown at Royal Museums of Fine Arts at the Oldmasters Museum, Istituto Italiano di Cultura Brussels, PAC Milan, Palazzo Collicola Spoleto, and Palazzo delle Esposizioni Rome.
- He participated in Bienal del fin del mundo, Biennale dei Paesi del Mediterraneo, Biennale di Tunisi, and Biennale dei giovani artisti di Monza.
- His series 'Uppercrust' (2011) critiqued class hierarchy using hinged canvases.
- The figure Phersu from Etruscan tombs inspired his 2016 exhibition 'The Garden of Phersu'.
- Scarabello's influences include Rosso Fiorentino, Caravaggio, Bacon, and Cecily Brown.
- He describes painting as an instinct as essential as walking.
- He believes Italian contemporary painting needs more support from the art world.
- The interview was conducted by Damiano Gullì for Artribune.
Entities
Artists
- Alessandro Scarabello
- Rosso Fiorentino
- Dieric Bouts
- Rogier Van der Weyden
- Tintoretto
- Caravaggio
- Velázquez
- Goya
- Pellizza da Volpedo
- Michetti
- Picasso
- Hopper
- Bacon
- Boccioni
- Scipione
- De Pisis
- Gino De Dominicis
- Sidney Nolan
- Yan Pey Ming
- Dirk Braeckman
- Pietro Roccasalva
- Alessandro Pessoli
- Folkert De Jong
- Johan Grimonprez
- Cecily Brown
- Francis Upritchard
- Damiano Gullì
- Gabriele Picco
- Angelo Mosca
- Gianluca Concialdi
- Michele Tocca
- Lorenza Boisi
- Patrizio Di Massimo
- Fulvia Mendini
- Valentina D'Amaro
- Angelo Sarleti
- Andrea Kvas
- Giuliana Rosso
- Marta Mancini
- Francesco Lauretta
- Gianluca Di Pasquale
- Beatrice Meoni
- Marta Sforni
- Romina Bassu
- Giulio Frigo
- Vera Portatadino
- Guglielmo Castelli
- Riccardo Baruzzi
- Gianni Politi
- Sofia Silva
- Thomas Berra
- Giulio Saverio Rossi
- Dario Argento
- Stanley Kubrick
- Todorov
- Lévi-Strauss
- Principe Potemkin
- Caterina II di Russia
Institutions
- Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma
- Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) Ghent
- Royal Museums of Fine Arts at the Oldmasters Museum
- Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Bruxelles
- Padiglione d'Arte Contemporanea di Milano
- Palazzo Collicola di Spoleto
- Palazzo delle Esposizioni di Roma
- The Gallery Apart
- Triennale Milano
- Artribune
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Brussels
- Belgium
- Ghent
- Milan
- Spoleto
- Tarquinia
- Alexandria
- Egypt
- Tunis
- Monza
- South America