Mario Radice biography

Mario Radice, born in 1898 in Como, was a prominent Italian artist, considered one of the pioneers of abstract art. 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 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 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 accumulated in Argentina.
In the twenties, Mario Radice was fascinated by the problems of rationalist architecture and joined a group of artists and architects who shared the same interest in the renewal of arts and architecture. In 1927, he exhibited for the first time in Como and began participating in exhibitions and artistic collaborations with important rationalist architects such as Giuseppe Terragni, Piero Lingeri and Luigi Figini.
Since 1930, Mario Radice has been fully dedicated to painting and 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 thirties and forties, he befriended important cultural figures, such as Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, and continued to exhibit in numerous shows both in Italy and abroad. His fame further grew when in 1958 he obtained a personal room at the Venice Biennale and received the prestigious Einaudi Prize.
In the sixties and seventies, he held numerous exhibitions in important Italian galleries and created artworks for churches and other religious buildings. His ability to harmoniously and lyrically combine geometric forms distinguishes him from the abstract artists of Northern and Eastern Europe, such as Kazimir Malevic and Piet Mondrian.
Alongside his artistic activity, Mario Radice is dedicated to social and cultural commitment, 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 a significant artistic legacy. His abstract painting is distinguished by geometric precision and plastic dynamism, expressing a lyrical suggestion that makes him unique in the panorama of 20th-century artwork.