Mario Radice biography

Mario Radice, born in 1898 in Como, was a prominent Italian artist, considered one of the pioneers of abstractionism. His artistic training began at a young age, when, in 1912, he took private lessons from Achille Zambelli and Pietro Clerici, two important local artists.
During his military service between 1918 and 1920, he had the opportunity to travel across Europe, coming into contact with the artistic avant-gardes of the post-war period. After his discharge, Radice devoted himself to university studies in veterinary medicine, but soon abandoned this path to work as a laborer in a paper mill. This experience allowed him to deepen his knowledge of paper and parchment production techniques, and in 1927, he founded his own company to patent a machine for recycling sulfuric acid, which he managed to export to a paper mill in Buenos Aires. However, the events related to the Wall Street Crash in 1929 led him to lose the capital he had accumulated in Argentina.
In the 1920s, Mario Radice is fascinated by the issues of rationalist architecture and joins a group of artists and architects who share the same interest in the renewal of the arts and architecture. In 1927, he exhibits for the first time in Como and begins to participate in exhibitions and artistic collaborations with important rationalist architects such as Giuseppe Terragni, Piero Lingeri, and Luigi Figini.
Since 1930, Mario Radice has dedicated himself completely to painting and has carried out a series of decorative works, including the frescoes of the Casa del Fascio in Como, created between 1933 and 1936. This artwork represents the first Italian example of abstract art set in a public building and is considered one of his most significant works.
During the 1930s and 1940s, he forms friendships with important cultural figures, such as Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, and continues to exhibit in numerous shows both in Italy and abroad. His fame grows further when in 1958 he is awarded a personal room at the Venice Biennale and receives the prestigious Einaudi Prize.
In the sixties and seventies, he held numerous exhibitions in important Italian galleries and created works for churches and other religious buildings. His ability to combine geometric shapes in a harmonious and lyrical way distinguishes him from the abstract artists of Northern and Eastern Europe, such as Kazimir Malevic and Piet Mondrian.
Parallel to his artistic activity, Mario Radice is dedicated to social and cultural engagement, becoming a member of various associations and foundations. He also continues his work as an art critic for a local newspaper.
Mario Radice died in 1987 in Como, leaving behind an artistic legacy of considerable importance. His abstract painting is distinguished by its geometric precision and plastic dynamism, expressing a lyrical suggestion that makes him unique in the landscape of 20th-century art.