Vittorio Zeppillo: From High-End Chef to Emerging Painter

Vittorio Zeppillo (b. 1998, San Severino Marche) is an emerging Italian painter who transitioned from haute cuisine to art. After studying decoration at the Academy of Fine Arts of Urbino under Gabriele Arruzzo, he is now completing his master's at the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera in Milan with Simeone Crispino. In 2022, he participated in group shows including 'Salon Palermo II' at Rizzuto Gallery in Milan, curated by Antonio Grulli. His first solo exhibition is scheduled for September 2023 at Platea Palazzo Galeano in Lodi. Zeppillo co-founded the collective Hardchitepture with Andrea Luzi and Lorenzo Conforti, with whom he painted in abandoned factories. His work explores themes of marginalization, isolation, and rejection, often through oil paintings with layered textures. He works in a shared studio in Milan's Derganino district (80 sqm, seven people), where spatial constraints have pushed him toward site-specific installations. In 2023, he presented a solo installation 'Hey dad, watch me play hard' in the basement of Officine Brandimarte in Ascoli Piceno for the two-person show 'Hyperballad' with Davide Quartucci, curated by Benedetta Monti. Zeppillo describes his creative process as slow and reflective, tied to his emotional state. He is not yet represented by a gallery and plans to explore other countries. He views the art market as a 'cruel and selective organism' that often stifles experimentation.