- MIMMO PALADINO ARTWORKS

- MIMMO PALADINO PAINTER

Mimmo Paladin he is a renowned painter, sculptor It is Italian engraver. Born in Paduli, near Benevento in 1948, he is considered one of the main exponents of the Italian transavant-garde, an art movement that had its peak in the 80s. The Transavantgarde, theorized and promoted by Achille Bonito Oliva, wanted to represent a return to painting after the conceptual experiments of the 70s.

From a young age, Mimmo Paladino was introduced to the world of art thanks to his paternal uncle, Salvatore, who was a painter. This arouses in him an early interest in art, which develops further during the years of attendance at the Art School of Benevento and during visits to the Lucio Amelio Gallery in Naples, where he meets the painter Anthony DelDonno.

In 1964, together with Del Donno, he visits the Venice Biennale for the first time, remaining fascinated by American pop artists. In 1968, Mimmo Paladino held his first exhibition at the Carolina Gallery of Portici in Naples, where he was presented by a young Achille Bonito Oliva. From that moment on, Bonito Oliva will accompany Mimmo Paladino as an art critic throughout his career, including his participation in the Transavantgarde.

Following the artistic tendencies of the time, dominated by a predominantly conceptual orientation, Mimmo Paladino is interested in photography and exhibits photographic works at the New Tools Gallery of Brescia.

In the 1970s, after moving to Milan, Mimmo Paladino experienced the artistic fervor of the city, meditating on new directions that his work could take. It is in this period that he begins to explore painting and pictorial figuration, abandoning the predominantly conceptual approach. He began to exhibit in important group exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale in 1980, where the Transavantgarde was officially presented.

His works, such as The Gardens of Forking Paths It is Flashing light and a door, have been exhibited in several European cities, marking the beginning of his international success.

Paladino's passion for drawing evolved over the years into a great passion for engraving. He experimented with various techniques such as etching, aquatint, woodcut and linocut, obtaining extraordinary results in this artistic field. He also made his first book-object titled EN DE RE in 1980, which marked a further development in his career.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Mimmo Paladino continued to explore new artistic directions and created numerous solo and group exhibitions around the world. He exhibits in important institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and creates monumental installations in public spaces.

His works, characterized by a combination of figurative and symbolic elements, have aroused great interest both nationally and internationally. Mimmo Paladino has also collaborated with the theater world, creating sets for various productions. His art has spanned various media, including painting, sculpture, printmaking and installations, displaying great versatility and creativity throughout his career.

Today, the works of Mimmo Paladino are present in important international museums and are considered an integral part of the contemporary Italian artistic heritage.