Eliseo Mattiacci biography
- ELISEO MATTIACCI ARTIST
Eliseo Mattiacci was a renowned Italian artist, born in Cagli in 1940 and passed away in 2019 in Fossombrone.
Since the early years of his training, he has shown a strong inclination towards sculptural art. After attending theGaetano Lapis State Institute of Art in Cagli, he continued his studies at theInstitute of Fine Arts of Pesaro, graduating in 1959.
Eliseo Mattiacci's debut in the art world took place in 1961, when he presented his first personal exhibition, a collective dedicated to young artists, at the National Gallery of Modern Art From Rome. On this occasion, the work Mechanical man, made of metal with recycled materials assembled, earns him the first prize and attracts the attention of critics and the public.
In 1964, Eliseo Mattiacci moved to Rome, where he became part of the fermenting cultural environment of those years. Here, he has the opportunity to exhibit in one of the most representative galleries of the Roman art scene of the time, The turtle, who dedicated a personal exhibition to him in 1967. This exhibition marks the first major critical and public success for the artist. On this occasion, Eliseo Mattiacci invades the gallery with a 150-metre-long nickel-plated iron jointed tube, painted yellow Agip, carried through the streets of the city. His innovative and provocative work captures the attention of the public and the press, sparking a debate on the definition and limits of art.
In the following years, Eliseo Mattiacci's work continues to evolve and to explore new artistic territories. His research develops through the use of industrial materials and everyday objects, which are manipulated to generate unusual tactile effects or to enhance the physical properties of the materials themselves, such as weight, gravity and magnetism. This dynamic is manifested in works such as Tension with stone It is Magnet and shavings, which are presented in international exhibitions curated by important galleries and art critics.
In the seventies, the artist's investigation focuses more and more on the physical being, on the concept of existence and identity. His body becomes the fulcrum of his artistic production. Through works such as Bone x-ray of own body and performative actions such as Replace with a part by the artist, Eliseo Mattiacci explores the human body as a vehicle for expressing ideas and concepts related to communication, language and culture.
In the eighties, the artist's interest in astronomy becomes more and more evident in his works. Using metals such as corten, he creates large-scale works inspired by the cosmos and the universe. These monumental sculptures, such as Astronomical high voltage It is Montefeltro solar chariot, are characterized by massive shapes and an ideal tension that seeks to lift the material from its weight and give it a sense of lightness. Eliseo Mattiacci's interest in space and the cosmos continues to influence his artistic production in the following years as well.
His works are characterized by continuous experimentation and a constant search for the potential of materials and the surrounding space. Eliseo Mattiacci has received numerous awards and prizes throughout his career, including the Antonio Feltrinelli Prize for sculpture in 2008. His work has been the subject of numerous exhibitions and retrospectives in prestigious museums and art galleries, both in Italy and abroad. The artist has left a significant mark on the contemporary art scene, thanks to his relentless research, innovative use of materials and ability to convey complex concepts through sculpture. The figure of Eliseo Mattiacci remains a point of reference for contemporary artists today and his legacy continues to influence and inspire future generations.