Demetrio Paparoni on the New Frontiers of Painting at Fondazione Stelline

Curator Demetrio Paparoni discusses his exhibition 'Le nuove frontiere della pittura' at Fondazione Stelline in Milan, featuring over 30 large-scale works by more than 30 artists from 17 countries. Paparoni argues that painting remains vital despite repeated announcements of art's death, noting that most auction records are still held by paintings. He distinguishes contemporary painting from 20th-century innovation-driven art, stating that artists like Michaël Borremans, Francis Alÿs, Pietro Roccasalva, Wilhelm Sasnal, Nicola Samorì, and Victor Man have shed the anxiety to renew language. The exhibition focuses on figurative painting, which Paparoni defends against charges of anachronism, emphasizing that figurative painting never ceased to be vital. He contrasts Western indifference to innovation with the experimental drive in China, where oil painting is a new medium relative to traditional ink on rice paper. The show includes works by artists such as Jules de Balincourt, Paulina Olowska, and Markus Schinwald, many of whom emerged in the early 2000s. Paparoni selected works by eye, ignoring external suggestions. He also addresses market influences on young painters like Oscar Murillo and David Ostrowski, noting that time will filter lasting value.