Roberto Piaia – Biography

Over - Carrara Statuary marble

OVERVIEW

BIOGRAPHY

Biography – Roberto Piaia is an eclectic artist. In Painting he is the leader of Assurfivo: an acronym that unites As = Abstract, Sur = Surreal, Fivo = Figurative. These are the 3 artistic currents that Piaia masterfully unites in her works. In the Sculpture he created the sinuous shape of the Spirale in the figure. This technique is recognized first worldwide, and protected by copyright.
Roberto Piaia a New York
Biography Roberto Piaia Italian Painter and Sculptor. Currently his lives in Mindelheim 87719, City in Lower Allgäu Germany, where paints in his Art Studio in Nebelhornstr. 2. Also, the Master often returns to Pietrasanta (Tuscany) for Bronze castings in the renowned foundries of the city. And for sculpt his sculptures in precious Carrara Marble.

He starts as a portraitist both in Painting and in Sculpture

Biography: Formation of Painting

At the beginning of his career he devoted himself to painting.

His artistic talent, already clear since his childhood, finds its way of expression thanks to his autodidact choice. He certainly has a natural talent, which he has cultivated and developed through the study and practice of restoration. He learned the use of ancient colors contributing to the restoration of “Cielo di Giotto” in the Scrovegni Cappella in Padova.

Disciple of master Guerra and Pio X school around 1987, Roberto Piaia attends also Caravaggio school in Firenze in 1990. Afterwards he attends the restoration  schools of Praglia Abbey.

Assurfivo

In this period he assimilates the theory and the practice of the ancient color utilization, which will take him to become master of color. The very personal style that Piaia has created has three pictorial currents. For this reason it was called Assurfivo: where as stands for Abstract, sur for Surreal, fivo for Figurative.

All the paintings are created with basic pencil sketch drawing and oil on canvas.

Capture the colors of the rainbow to transport you, through a thousand shades of oil, on the paintings. It depicts bodies, portraits, objects and genre scenes through an impeccable hyper-realism. The final touch is done by illuminating the work with coloured sparks, transporting visions toward a dream-like, unreal state. He paints the transparencies of glass, crystals and water with an unquestionable executive ability.

The Assurfivo is a swirl of colors and shapes which converge smoothly and seamlessly bringing together abstraction, figuration and surrealism. It utilizes the light spectrum of primary colors cleverly fine tuned. Showing – as well as a remarkable technical mastery – references to the great tradition of painting in the past. Reproduced in a modern, contemporary way.

Roberto Piaia’s different creative period
  • Blue Period, with perfectionism, hyperrealism, transparencies, macchiaiolo impressionist (landscapes). Figurative, in particular a portraitist: he manages to capture the expressive essence of people both in canvas and in statues. 1975/’79.
  • Yellow Period, with the Assurfivo (abstract, surreal, figurative). Whose Piaia is movement leader and that place itself as innovation in contemporary art and as a new pictorial current, 1999/2004.
  • Red-Yellow Period of Assurfivo with transparencies and shadows, interpretative symbologies, in course at the present. In Roberto Piaia’s works appear references to ‘500 classical school, interpreted in a Modern and Assurfivo viewpoint.

These fascinating esoteric symbols are the signature of quadricromatic Piaia. Never the same, reminiscent of an indecipherable language, which tells a story unknown to us, filling the images with mystery.

Biography: Sculptural formation

From 2005 to 2008 he follows the teachings of Master Pardini from Padua. Later, in 2009/’12, he moves to Pietrasanta, a renowned Tuscan town famous for its foundries and development of artistic marbles. This allows him to sharpen the technique of clay modeling and carving directly onto the marble of Master Nicola Stagetti. As a result of this, he invented and modeled an innovative spiral shape in sculpture.

The idea of this particular form of roberto Piaia’s sculptures – worldwide premier – has been copyright recognized and protected.

The Spiral Statues: world premier innovation

Piaia’s research has deepened in many fascinating directions over the years, prompting him to translate the values ​​of painting in terms of sculpture.      

Built using Carrara Statuary Marble, Resin and Bronze casting through lost wax processes. The statues are created with the face, the hands and the feet, where the typical Piaia executional skills stand out.

This world premier innovation consists in the creation of the body. The volume structure is built around a double helix which wraps around itself. With a full visual effect in which the form is underlined through a coil, while the void appears suddenly, leaving room for imagination.

His works unite the classical to the dynamic. Proving through these – in addition to execution ability – that he can shape art with novelty, and not so much to create completely new artworks.

 

Ingenious Creations

This is a very difficult job, attempted by many but never actually realized, characterized by a precise study of solids and voids. Realized in a perfect balance of matter that does not need any support.

These statues employ strange perception and perspective, and seem impossible to achieve in reality. Furthermore, they take us back to a strong mathematical component by the master who inspired Piaia: Dutch graphic engraver M. C. Escher, 1898/1972.

Only a great compositional experience and a deep knowledge of the subject, have allowed Roberto Piaia. After years of intense research and study, to realize his creations through drawings, sketches and oils on canvas with bodies outlined through a spiral.

Piaias’ Status are dressed with Green Energy

The urgent need to help preserve the beauty and solidarity of our Earth is a desire that the artist has been cultivating for some time. Taking this impulse, in 2019 he designed this very innovative project.

The artist has covered the Statues with photovoltaic cells in the part exposed to the sun, thus embellishing the place where we live or work. They are placed on an artistically created base with solar panels. Depending on the size, the work can accommodate a Vertical Wind Turbine. Moreover, it can be equipped with columns for recharging electric cars.

You can enjoy owning a unique work!

Main personal exhibits and awards

  • He also finds media success in 2007/’08 with an exhibition tour that touched the cities of Rome, Venice, Prague and Budapest. In those circumstances he brings a series of original works to symbolise the passage of time through the representation of the same model. Natalia Mesa Bush, portrays it every time differently depending on the month. Art Critic Paolo Levi.
  • In 2009 he officially entered the Gotha of the best Italian painters. He receives from the Committee of the Critical Catalogue of Modern Art – published by Mondadori – the classification of AIC (High Critical Interest).
  • Following this, 2010 sees him reach a very important milestone. In the renowned Palazzina delle Belle Arti in Turin, he exhibits within a 1,500 square meter area an anthology of 180 works of his artistic production. The title of the exhibition is: Essenza al Femminile (Feminine Essence). The critic is curated by Angelo Mistrangelo, and the organization by Carmen De Guarda.
  • Then in 2012 he approached his art  the major Flemish and Dutch Masters of the Seventeenth Century. They are found in the most prestigious museums in the world, the Louvre in Paris and the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. Title of the exhibition: ‘Stories of Light’: Stories of Art. In the House / Museum that gave birth to the illustrious painter G.B. Cima of Conegliano. Organizer by Carmen De Guarda, Art Critic: Fabrizio Fantino
  • Finally, in 2015, he exhibited his spiral statues in two important religious sites. Initially, in the wonderful arts complex of the Church of San Domenico located in the historic center of the City of Andria in Puglia. Then, in the foyer of the Sanctuary of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, in San Giovanni Rotondo. (Italy).

In 2016 he received the Free Time Award People of the Year, conferred to Piaia as best artist of the year, from the Republic of Bulgaria Embassy in Rome.

Group Exhibition

  • He participated in the 54th Venice Biennale in Italy in 2011. Officially presents his first marble statue of Carrara Iris and an oil on canvas Darya in Cladico.
  • In 2017 he displayed a marble spiral sculpture at theTriennale di Arti Visive hosted at the Vittoriano Complex in Rome.
  • In October – November 2017, he flies to New York-Chelsea for an exhibition setting in the important Amsterdam Museum Whitney Gallery.
  • Roberto Piaia’s statue Over in bronze, steel and silver was selected by the organizers and exhibited from May 10th to 13th, at the occasion of Versilia’s Yachting Rendez-vous 2018, a glamour Nautica event in Viareggio.
  • Finally, Piaia exhibited a Statue Bronze “Genesi” for the second time at the occasion of Versilia Yachting Rendez-vous 2019, glamour Nautica event in the city of Viareggio (Tuscany – Italy). From May 9th to 12th.

Besides these, following exposure in homes of many Italian Institutes of Culture abroad, both in Europe and overseas. Among the most important: Sidney (Australia), 2010, Cologne (Germany) 2010, Munich (Germany) 2011, Stockholm (Germany) 2011. Concluding, his works have been exhibited in many Art Fairs. Among the latest, in February 2018 to Art Capital, Au Grand Palais in Paris.

In September 2018 the Marmomac fair in Verona – Italy.

Auctions

  • Natalia-January 2007 oil on canvas 150×100 cm. Turin Sant’Agostino 11/11/08 (valuation €15/20.000) € 13.800.
  • The Junction 2007 oil on canvas 50×90 cm. Vercelli Meeting Art 21/06/08 (valuation € 10.00) € 5.400.
  • Mysterious light 2008 oil on canvas 100×50 cm. Vercelli Meeting Art 28/06/08 (valuation € 1.000) € 3.360.
  • Oil on canvasThe Cradle 2005 | 30×40 cm. Vercelli Meeting Art, 14/03/2010 (valuation € 1.000) € 2.200. 
  • Serigraphy of the Seven Deadly Sins 30×20-20×30 Vercelli, Meeting Art 12/09/2010 (valuation € 1.200) €.960. 
  • The Anger oil on canvas 60×60 cm. Vercelli Meeting Art 19/9/2010 (valuation € 2.000) € 3.600.
  • Rest in Assurfivo 2004 oil on canvas 50×70 cm. Vercelli Meeting Art 27/11/2011 (valuation € 1.500) € 2.500.  
  • Dream 2000 oil on canvas 70×50 cm. San Agostino Torino 19/05/2015 Lot n°418 (valuation € 3.000/4.000) € 2.000
Collections and Commissions

Art Gallery, Lipsia – Germany

Bust in memory of Police Inspector Rosario Sanarico.

Naval base of Punta Pezzino, headquarters of the Divers State Police of La Spezia.

Camerana- Agnelli Foundation, Association for the music De Sono, Turin-Lingotto, oil on canvas: Still life with violin n°1

Turin Car Museum Carlo Biscaretti di Ruffia, C.so Unità d’Italia oil on canvas: Still life with violin n°2

Turin Musical Union, Castello Square, oil on canvas: Still life with violin n°3

Exhibition Catalogues

2006 – In the House Cima, Giorgio Segato critical. Published by La Matita d’Arte Veneta.

2007 – General Catalog of Works, Paolo Levi critical. Published by Cairo Mondadori.

2007 – Bacco Venere and Gioielli, Paolo Levi critical.

2010 – The Feminine Essence Carmen De Guarda and Angelo Mistrangelo critical. Published by Cairo Mondadori.

2012 – Stories of Ligth, Roberto Piaia meets the Flemish and Dutch Masters of ‘600 Published by Faenza Group.

2019 – Comic.  Eva The Spirale Woman

Reviews
Paolo Levi  Art Critic | Giorgio Segato Art Critic | Angelo Mistrangelo Art Critic and Journalist | Fabrizio Fantino Art Historian | Vittorio Sgarbi Art Critic | Lorena Gava Art Critic | Carmen De Guarda event manager | Federica Repetto Journalist | Wilhelm Unfried Journalist | Gianpietro Garoli, M.Battaglia, M. Francesca Botteri | G. Maria Curtarelli Vazzoler | Fabio Girardello | Riccardo Millemaggi Pilonetto | Barbara Ajmar | Elena Ferrarese | Ricardo Petito | Maurizio Vignozzi | Claudia Conardi | A.Pinti | Chiara Tavernari | Barbara Pianalto | Fausto Politino | Ivano Callegaro.

Publications

Corriere dell’Arte, La Stampa di Torino, print Torinosette supplement of Turin, Il Messaggero, Il Tempo, La Tribuna (TV), Il Gazzettino (TV e VE ) Leggo, La Repubblica, Il Corriere della sera, La nuova di Venezia, La Gazzetta di Venaria (TO), City (TO),Corriere dell’Arte. Il Quindicinale di Vittorio Veneto (TV), Marca Aperta (TV), Il Risveglio popolare, La Guida, Il Monviso, Tribuna Novarese, Corriere di Saluzzo, Di Più,  Vero, News spettacolo, Cronaca di Roma, Paioli, Poket, VP. Il Punto City Life, Torino+Piemonte Contemporary Art.

Cose di Casa, Colto, Vedere a Torino supplemento il Giornale dell’Arte, Insideart, Vie del Gusto, Collezionare, Shop in the City, Weekend e viaggi, Artesera. Qui Toring, A di Anna, Composit Magazine. Arte & Arte bimensile di acca in arte, Arte Mondadori, Art e Dossier. Torino Magazine. Arte In, 2007 FlashArt supplemento calendario Roberto Piaia 60.000 copie A.M. Comanducci, Arte Italiana per il Mondo. Talento (TO) Annuario dell’Arte Moderna Mondadori, Enciclopedia d’Arte, Europa in Arte, Il Tirreno, La Nazione, Il Corriere del Mezzogiorno. Augsburger Allgemeine, Unterallgäu Rundschau.

Television appearances

TG Rai 3 Veneto-Piemonte, Rai 3 Piemonte: Buongiornoregione, Tg2: Costume e Società, Canale 5: Verissimo. Rai 1: La Vita in Diretta, Tele Studio (To), Rai 3 Piemonte: Settimanale Quarta Rete (To). Grp Tg, Eden Tv (Tv), Telenordest (Pd), Torino Web News. Tg Sveva Tele Radio Padre Pio San Giovanni Rotondo, Tele Norba
Radio Interviews

Radio Conegliano, Radio Fantastica, Radio Cuore, Radio Energy. Radio Rai 3, Radio in Blu, Radio Classica, Radio Grp, Prima Radio, Radio Palazzo Carli.

Over - Carrara Statuary marble