Antonio Riello: Videogame, Lockdown Drawings, and Postcolonial Critique
Antonio Riello, born in Marostica in 1958, is an Italian artist who employs irony to tackle modern-day topics. His exhibition titled "Confined Objects" at the Danielle Arnaud Gallery in London showcased more than 300 drawings made with blue ballpoint pens, along with larger still lifes crafted during the COVID-19 lockdown, portraying the kitchen as a "theatre of domestic cruelty." Riello, likened to a "domestic Robinson Crusoe," critiques the postcolonial perspectives of Western culture and examines the political implications of art. His previous work includes the provocative video game "ITALIANI BRAVA GENTE" (1996), which faced allegations of racism. Additionally, he creates aesthetic weapons to probe ethical dilemmas and highlights the contrasts between British and Italian art scenes in terms of postcolonial awareness. The conversation was held with Marco Senaldi.
Key facts
- Antonio Riello's exhibition 'Confined Objects' at Danielle Arnaud Gallery, London, featured over 300 blue ballpoint pen drawings on A3 paper and larger still lifes.
- The works were created during the COVID-19 lockdown, mapping the kitchen as a 'theatre of domestic cruelty.'
- Riello describes himself as a 'domestic Robinson Crusoe' using lockdown to reinvent spaces and address postcolonial attitudes.
- His videogame 'ITALIANI BRAVA GENTE' (1996) targeted Albanian migrants and was presented at the first Tirana Biennial in 2001.
- The game was taken as real by the press, leading to accusations of racism.
- Riello creates jewel-like weapons to explore how aesthetic perception influences ethical judgment.
- He references Paul Virilio and Guy Debord on the spectacle of violence.
- The interview was conducted by Marco Senaldi.
Entities
Artists
- Antonio Riello
- Genti Shkurti
- Marco Senaldi
- Bruno Barbieri
- Paul Virilio
- Guy Debord
- Edi Rama
Institutions
- Danielle Arnaud Gallery
- Flash Art
- Tirana Biennial
- Venice Biennale
- Phaidon
- Università di Milano Bicocca
- IULM di Milano
- FMAV di Modena
- Accademia di Brera
- LABA Libera Accademia di...
- Bocconi
- Normale di Pisa
- Cambridge
- Oxford
Locations
- Marostica
- Italy
- London
- United Kingdom
- Tirana
- Albania
- Venice
- France
- Belgium
- USA