Mario Schifano
Mario Schifano (1934-1998) was a pioneer of Pop Art in Italy and one of the most innovative and provocative artists of the postwar period. Born in Homs, Libya, and raised in Rome, Schifano stood out in the 1960s for his ability to combine painting, photography, and new visual languages, reflecting on consumerist society and the effect of modernity on human perception.
His works, characterized by vibrant colors and iconic symbols such as mass culture signs and advertising billboards, challenged the conventions of traditional art. Schifano frequented the Roman and international avant-gardes and exhibited alongside artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, representing Italy in the global Pop Art scene. In 1964, he was invited to the Venice Biennale, consolidating his international fame and paving the way for experimentation with new media, including cinema and video, to further explore themes of technology and urban reality.
His works are now housed in major collections, including the MoMA in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, confirming Schifano as a central figure in 20th-century Italian and international art.
Mario Schifano (1934-1998) was one of the leading figures in Italian Pop Art and a prominent figure in postwar contemporary art. Famous for his ability to blend popular culture with social critique, Schifano explored the visual potential of modernity’s images and signs, often utilizing the language of advertising and mass media. His work, constantly experimenting with painting, photography, and video, became an emblem of Italian art in the 1960s and 1970s.