ELISEO MATTIACCI ARTWORKS

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 demonstrated a strong inclination towards sculptural art. After attending the Gaetano Lapis State Institute of Art in Cagli, he continued his studies at the Institute of Fine Arts in Pesaro, obtaining his diploma in 1959.
Eliseo Mattiacci's debut in the art world took place in 1961, when he presented his first personal exhibition, a collective exhibition dedicated to young artists, at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna in Rome. On this occasion, the work Mechanical Man, made of metal with assembled recycled materials, earned him the first prize and attracted 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 had the opportunity to exhibit at one of the most representative galleries of the Roman artistic panorama of the time, La Tartaruga, which dedicated a personal exhibition to him in 1967. This exhibition marks the first great critical and public success for the artist. On this occasion, Eliseo Mattiacci invades the tunnel with a 150 meter long articulated nickel-plated iron tube, painted Agip yellow, transported 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 explore new artistic territories. His research develops through the use of industrial materials and commonly used 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 manifests itself in works such as Tension with stone and Magnet and shavings, which are presented in international exhibitions curated by important galleries and art critics.
In the Seventies, the artist's investigation increasingly focuses 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 one's own body and performative actions such as Replacing oneself with a part of the artist, Eliseo Mattiacci explores the human body as a vehicle for expressing ideas and concepts linked to communication, language and culture.
In the 1980s, the artist's interest in astronomy became increasingly 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 High astronomical tension and Solar chariot of Montefeltro, are characterized by massive forms and an ideal tension that seeks to lift the weight of the material and give it a sense of lightness . Eliseo Mattiacci's interest in space and the cosmos continues to influence his artistic production in subsequent years.
His works are characterized by continuous experimentation and constant research into the potential of materials and the surrounding space. Eliseo Mattiacci has received numerous recognitions and awards throughout his career, including the Antonio Feltrinelli Award 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 panorama of contemporary art, thanks to his incessant 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.