Patrizio Di Massimo's painting on display in Milan, a journey between domestic intimacy and introspection

One of the most appreciated contemporary Italian painters on display in Milan: Patrizio di Massimo (Jesi, 1983), a self-taught artist known for his ability to fuse classical iconography and contemporary visual culture, opens his first solo exhibition at Galleria Gió Marconi in Milan. The exhibition, titled Friends, Foes, Beds and Husbands (Friends, Foes, Beds and Beaus), will be open to the public from January 31 to March 8, 2025, with a preview on January 30.

This project represents a significant milestone in Di Massimo’s artistic and personal journey, condensing a year of work done in his London studio. Here, in an environment of creative solitude, the artist has shaped works that explore such fundamental themes as identity, everyday domesticity, masculinity, introspection and self-determination.

The urgency of painting

For Di Massimo, painting is not just an artistic medium, but an obsession that allows him to probe the emotional and psychological states of existence. His works, inspired by people close to him, often from the art world, reflect a constant interaction between art history and contemporaneity. Friends, artists, curators and collectors become subjects of his compositions, allowing him to play different roles and identities.

Since his beginnings at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, Di Massimo has demonstrated thematic and expressive coherence. The need to interrogate himself and the world around him, interweaving relationships and experiences, is the common thread of his production. His works, dense with symbolic and lyrical meanings, constitute a profound analysis of the human condition, made accessible to the public through a pictorial language that mixes tradition and innovation.

A performative process

Di Massimo’s compositions arise from an articulated creative process that combines painting and performance. Before making a work, the artist organizes photo sessions with friends and acquaintances, during which he meticulously constructs the scenes he intends to paint. These sessions can last up to hours. The images taken are then digitally edited, sometimes mixing elements from multiple photographs and altering proportions or details, with an increasingly solid oil technique that recalls practices from ancient portraiture.

This methodology gives the works a performative character, which is also reflected in their technical realization. Over the years, Di Massimo has developed a solid and refined painterly approach, using non-absorbent gesso to prepare canvases and applying warm or cool colors according to compositional needs.

The exhibition themes

The exhibition is divided into five chapters, each of which occupies a dedicated room. This exhibition approach, already pioneered in the Anthology exhibition at the Pinacoteca di Jesi in 2023 and also applied to the publishing field in his latest book Patrizio di Massimo. Anthology / Anthology (2013-2023) published by Quodlibet, allows for an immersive exploration of the central themes of Di Massimo’s practice. The works on display investigate the relationship between intimacy and representation, between everyday life and identity, offering a deep and personal look into the artist’s world.

Friends, Enemies, Beds and Husbands chronicles an artistic and personal maturation reflected in Di Massimo’s ability to use art as a tool for self-analysis and understanding. Each painting becomes a lens through which to observe emotions and relationships, offering valuable evidence of human existence.

For Di Massimo, art is not a cure, but a medicative practice that helps one remain present to oneself. His works are the result of a daily process of listening and introspection, which allows him to explore new possibilities of life, situations and identity. In this sense, the artist strips away social and cultural conventions to wear them anew with a renewed awareness.

The exhibition, with free admission, can be visited Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Patrizio Di Massimo's painting on display in Milan, a journey between domestic intimacy and introspection

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.