Elio Cassarà
Born 1974, Mazara del Vallo, Italy.
During adolescence, Cassarà had already worked in local artists’ studios. After a stay in Venice in 1997, he studied the early 20th century masters, and was particularly drawn to the still lifes of Giorgio Morandi, depicting seemingly “simple” objects. He then spent years intensively studying painting, strongly influenced by the German romantic painter, Caspar David Friedrich, the symbolism of Max Klinger and Arnold Böcklin, and the ideas of the radical Pre-Raphaelites.
After an initial extended stay in Germany in 2001, his work became more expressive and abstract, owing to his enthusiasm for Gerhard Richter. It was then that his long involvement with the topic of ‘paesaggio’, or landscape, began. This theme encompasses deserted areas as well as urban structures.
After travelling through Europe and painting in Sicily, Serbia, Slovenia and Norway, in particular, the stunning landscape of Iceland and Sicily become a lasting influence in his works, Cassarà then returns to Venice where he lives and works now. In his paintings, he depicts vitality and relationship with nature using vibrant colors that energizes the entire surface of the canvas.
Cassarà has shown in Italy, Germany, Serbia, the Czech Republic and his work is included in public and private collections around the world, including the prestigious permanent collection of the Museum Osservatorio dell’arte contemporanea in Sicilia.
Among many others who wrote about Cassarà are Francesco Gallo Mazzeo, Ezio Pagano, Marcello Palminteri, Nina Pogarcic, Victor Arellano Rey, Gaetano Salerno.
Solo Exhibitons
2018 – San Gregorio Art Gallery, Venice, Italy
2017 – Wunderkammer7, Venice, Italy
2015 – Galerie Hugo Cassel, Berlin, Germany
2014 – Palazzo Ca`Zanardi, Venice, Italy
2013 – Galerie Sievi, Berlin, Germany
2010 – Galerie Sievi, Berlin, Germany
2009 – Alexander Alvarez Contemporary Art, Alessandria, Italy
2007 – Narodni Muzej, Zajecar, Serbia
2006 – Art Klub Canaletto, Belgrad, Serbia
1999 – Galleria V&V Projects, Vicenza, Italy
1999 – Scoletta dei Calegheri, Venice, Italy
1995 – Galleria Spazio Arte, Gavi – Italia
1993 – Chiesa della SS. Annunziata, Alessandria – Italia
Group Exhibitions
2019 – “Seen anything interesting?”, Bugno Art Gallery, Venice, Italy
2018 – Bugno Art Gallery, Venice, Italy
2018 – VIII Rassegna d’Arte Contemporanea, Casa dei Carraresi, Treviso, Italy
2016 – Galerie Hugo Cassel, Berlin, Germany
2010 – I Concorso di Pittura Hotel Casanova, Duchcov, Czech Republic
2009 – IX Concorso La Fenice et Des Artistes, Trieste, Italy
2003 – Galleria Borgo d’Oro, Bergamo – Italia
