ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Patrizio Di Massimo's Playful Portraits at KURA Gallery

exhibition · 2026-05-04

At KURA gallery in Milan, Patrizio Di Massimo presents a solo exhibition featuring his distinctive portraits. The show opens with a self-portrait titled 'Self-portrait as abstract painter (after Annie Leibovitz),' where the artist appears in pink tones as Steve Martin immersed in a Franz Kline painting. Another work depicts a child named Diana (6 months) sitting on a green sofa, observing visitors. The exhibition explores intense chromatic games and painted environments, with details like striped dresses, tapestries, and drapery guiding viewers into Di Massimo's world. A notable piece, 'Bauhau,' shows a dog stretching before a quarreling couple. The works blend magical realism with ambiguity, creating a theatrical dialogue between portraiture and performativity, tradition and reactivation of visual codes.

Key facts

  • Patrizio Di Massimo was born in Jesi in 1983 and lives in London.
  • The exhibition is held at KURA gallery in Milan.
  • The self-portrait references Annie Leibovitz's photograph of Steve Martin.
  • The work 'Bauhau' depicts a dog stretching before a quarreling couple.
  • The show features a portrait of a child named Diana (6 months).
  • The artist uses intense chromatic games and painted environments.
  • The exhibition explores the relationship between portraiture and performativity.
  • The works blend magical realism with ambiguity.

Entities

Artists

  • Patrizio Di Massimo
  • Annie Leibovitz
  • Steve Martin
  • Franz Kline

Institutions

  • KURA
  • Artribune

Locations

  • Milan
  • Italy
  • Jesi
  • London

Sources