Stefano Arienti: From Mantua to Milan, an Artistic Journey

Stefano Arienti (born 1961) left the Mantuan countryside for Milan in the 1980s, finding a city in expansion and cultural ferment. Despite a degree in agriculture, he became an artist, harmonizing tradition with innovation. His first solo show was in 1986 at the studio of Corrado Levi, with whom he developed a significant artistic and human dialogue. He also frequented Casa degli Artisti coordinated by Luciano Fabbro. Arienti established a long-standing collaboration with Studio Guenzani and exhibited in Italy and abroad. The 1980s pop and rock music and commercial television influenced his work, leading him to manipulate and transform images using poor materials like plastic bags, vinyl records, paper, books, encyclopedias, magazines, and comics. Arienti states: 'I can think of revitalizing objects and things that live in an imperfect state, out of sync due to constant use. Time and the sedimentation of materials are fundamental in my work. I am not the type of artist who has obsessively normative and conservative visions.'