Italian artist Nino Mustica dies at 68 in Milan

Nino Mustica, known for his "Pitture solide" (solid paintings) that fused painting, sculpture, and architecture, died in Milan at age 68. Born in Adrano, Sicily in 1949, he studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma and traveled extensively, citing Giotto, Piero della Francesca, Matisse, Klee, and Kandinskij as influences. In the early 1970s, stays in London and Copenhagen shifted his work from figuration to abstraction. A 1994 breakthrough using computer graphics and 3D modeling allowed him to create three-dimensional painted forms, which he called "Pitture solide." These evolved into sculptural paintings and animated renderings. Notable series include "Unstoppable Spirit," one work of which was exhibited in London during Frieze Week 2014 in collaboration with Land Rover design director Gerry McGovern, and "Mustica Tower," digital graphics merging painting and architecture.