Francesco Lauretta's 'Viral Impurity-Fake Inner' at Collica&Partners, Catania

Francesco Lauretta, born in Ispica in 1964, is considered one of the best painters of his generation. He moved to Venice for his academic career, where he was inspired by his teacher Emilio Vedova and performer James Lee Byars, on whom he wrote his thesis. Later, in Turin, he began exhibiting and creating installation works. His fascination with painting emerged in 1992, leading to his first solo painting exhibition in 1999. Lauretta has a tormented relationship with the medium, calling himself first a painter and then an engineer. He sees painting not for its representational value but for its constructive potential, merging the teachings of his mentors to work on gesture and performativity. His solo exhibition 'Viral Impurity – Fake inner' at Collica&Partners in Catania presents his latest pictorial production. The show is described as 'collective' by gallerist Gianluca Collica due to the variety of works. The exhibition features 'Idiot' (2023), an oil on canvas depicting the artist's deceased father, addressing a violent relationship. A 7-meter hanged figure, dreamed in 2017, hangs from wooden beams. The exhibition explores the undefined dimension of reality, emphasizing the necessity of creative expression.