Matteo Fato on Painting, Memory, and the Ideal City

Italian artist Matteo Fato (born 1979 in Pescara) presents recent works at Fondazione Malvina Menegaz in Castelbasso, curated by Simone Ciglia, and a solo show at Galleria Nazionale delle Marche in Urbino. In an interview with Lorenzo Madaro, Fato discusses his practice, which centers on painting but incorporates installation, sculpture, and printmaking. At Fondazione Menegaz, his works are displayed with their transport crates, emphasizing the relationship between painting and space. The exhibition engages with the theme "La città ideale" (The Ideal City), drawing on works from the foundation's collection. Fato's paintings originate from a 2015 residency at NKD (Nordic Artists' Centre Dale) in Norway, where he explored the concept of "Natura Morta" (still life) in natural environments. At Urbino's Palazzo Ducale, his show "Eresia (del) Florilegio" includes a series of wooden easels and bust paintings developed over seven years. Fato reflects on the role of painting today, noting its resurgence in Italy but questioning why it requires justification. He cites influences from Wittgenstein, Deleuze, and Chinese painting, particularly the concept of emptiness. Upcoming projects include a solo show at Galleria Nazionale delle Marche (March 22, 2018), a double show with Nicola Samorì at Museo Casa Testori (April 7), participation in STRAPERETANA in Pereto (July), and a solo show at Studio Museo Francesco Messina in Milan (autumn).