Pietro Roccasalva

Biography

Pietro Roccasalva was born in 1970 in Modica, Italy. He currently lives and works in Milan.


Roccasalva has built a reputation as a versatile and innovative artist, working across a variety of mediums with a particular emphasis on installation, sculpture, performance, film, and photography. A maestro of the enigmatic, he weaves together intricate symbols, drawing profound inspiration from literature, cinema, philosophy, and our collective imagination. The resulting artistic repertoire manifests as a complex vernacular and deeply personal iconography. Roccasalva's art is a reflection of his boundless curiosity and his insatiable desire to explore the world around him. His pieces are like mirrors that reflect the human condition, capturing the essence of life's fleeting moments and the beauty of the mundane.


His solo exhibitions include: Collezione Giancarlo e Danna Olgiati, Lugano, CH (2022); The Power Station, Dallas, Texas, USA (2016); Kölnischer Kunstverein, Germany (2014); Le Magasin in Grenoble, France (2013); GaMeC, Bergamo, Italy (2007); and Fondazione Querini Stampalia in Venice, Italy (2006). His work was part of group exhibitions at David Roberts Art Foundation, London, UK; Centre for Contemporary Art in Warsaw, Bonniers Konsthall in Stockholm, Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago (USA), MoMA PS1 in New York (USA), MAXXI in Rome, Italy, Kadist Art Foundation in Paris France, S.M.A.K. - Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, Gent.


He participated at the Venice Biennial in 2009, Manifesta 7 in 2008 and the Prague Biennial in 2007.

Solo exhibitions
Year
Country, Exhibition Name, Location
2023
PRC, Recent paintings, MASSIMODECARLO, Hong Kong
2022
CH, Chi è che ride, Collezione Giancarlo e Danna Olgiati, MASI Lugano, Lugano
2021
F, Giocondità, MASSIMODECARLO Pièce Unique, Paris
2020
B, The Argon Welder, Zeno X Gallery, Antwerp
2019
D, Pietro Roccasalva, Fuerstenberg Zeitgenössisch, Donaueschingen
2018
UK, Hétalvó, Massimo De Carlo, London
2016
USA, WHO SHOT MR. BURNS?, The Power Station, Dallas
USA, Il Signor Beneventano, David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles
2015
I, The Wooden O, ZERO..., Milano
2014
B, The Queen of Gaps, Zeno X Gallery, Antwerp
D, F.E.S.T.A., Kölnischer Kunstverein, Cologne
2013
F, The Unborn Museum, MAGASIN – Centre National d’Art Contemporain, Grenoble
2012
USA, The Strange Young Neighbours, David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles
2010
D, Unicuique Suum Fussball, Johnen Galerie, Berlin
2008
CH, Art Statements, Art 39 Basel, Basel
USA, Z, CCS Bard at Seventh Regiment Armory, New York
2007
F, Truka, art : concept, Paris
I, Truka, Galleria Civica Montevergini, Siracusa
I, Truka, GAMeC Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Bergamo
2006
B, De Morgen, Hoet Bekaert Gallery, Ghent
D, La Tempesta, Johnen + Schöttle, Cologne
I, My Private #4, Ex Tempio Metodista, Torino
I, Il Traviatore – The Skeleton Key, Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Venezia
2005
I, Ø, ZERO..., Milano
2004
I, O.H., Viafarini, Milano
2003
I, Fisheye, Vistamare, Pescara
Group exhibitions
Year
Country, Exhibition Name, Location
2023
I, Pittura Italiana Curated by Damiano Gullì, Triennale Milano, Milan
2022
I, Afterimage Curated by Bartolomeo Pietromarchi, Alessandro Rabottini, MAXXI, L'Aquila
2021
I, Portraiture One Century Apart, MASSIMODECARLO, Milano
I, Before the Cockerel Crows. Prima che il gallo canti. Works from Sandretto Re Rebaudengo Collection, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Guarene d'Alba
USA, The Paradox of Stillness: Art, Object, and Performance, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
B, Works on Paper, Zeno X Gallery, Antwerp South
2020
I, Come prima, meglio di prima, Massimo De Carlo, Milano
2019
I, MCMXXXIV, Massimo De Carlo, Milano
2018
UK, She sees the shadows, DRAF (David Roberts Art Foundation) and MOSTYN, Llandudno
B, Works on Paper II, Zeno X Gallery, Antwerp
2017
I, The New Frontiers of Painting, Fondazione Stelline, Milano
F, And what, for example, am I now seeing? (Autodisporsi), Galleria Continua, Boissy-le-Châtel
2016
I, Quand Fondra La Neige, Où Ira Le Blanc – Opere dalla collezione Enea Righi, Palazzo Fortuny, Venezia
UAE, Peter Halley & Pietro Roccasalva: The Awakening, Mottahedan Projects, Dubai
B, Cabinet d’Amis - The Accidental Collection of Jan Hoet, Hotel de la Poste / Tour & Taxis, Brussels
UK, Self, Massimo De Carlo, London
2015
B, Works on Paper II, Zeno X Gallery, Antwerp
I, Growing Roots, Palazzo Reale, Milano
I, Collecting for Tomorrow: new works at Museion, MUSEION – Museo d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Bolzano
B, Pass. Kunst in dorpen, Mullem, Huise, Wannegem, Lede
I, Ennesima. Una mostra di sette mostre sull'arte italiana Curated by Vincenzo De Bellis, Triennale di Milano, Milano
UK, The Violet Crab at DRAF, David Roberts Art Foundation, London
I, Le Stanze d’Aragona, Villino Favaloro, Palermo
2014
I, Video screening 25, ZERO..., Milano
I, Imitatio Christie’s, ZERO..., Milano
2013
UK, New works #1, Sprovieri, London
D, Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in Cave and Grooving with a Pict, VeneKlasen Werner, Berlin
UK, A House of Leaves. Third Movement, David Roberts Art Foundation, London
2012
D, Embassy Goes Contemporary, Museion Collection, Italian Embassy, Berlin
USA, Rotary Connection, Casey Kaplan, New York
USA, No. 17, Casey Kaplan, New York
2011
I, Proposal (a room, some things) for Rome, MONITOR, Roma

Bibliography

Year
Author, Publication Title, Date
2020
Roccasalva, Pietro, Il Giornale dell'Arte - Vernissage, May/June
Roccasalva, Pietro, Il Foglio, Aprile
Arte, 12 September
Quattordio, Alessandro, Artribune, 25 September
Artdaily.com, 21 September
2019
Arte, January
2018
Fogle, Douglas, Dallas: The Power Station
2017
Varma, Avi, Flash Art, January/February
Milan: Skira, Exhibition Catalogue. Palazzo delle Stelline
Pietro Roccasalva, Exhibition Catalogue.
2016
MousseMagazine.it, November 22
Mottahedan Projects, Exhibition Catalogue. Dubai
Kalsi, Jyoti, GulfNews.com, Arts, April 28
Palazzo Fortuny, Exhibition Catalogue.
Mason, Isabella, BlouinArtInfo.com, November 17
artaddict.net, November 16
2015
Milan: Mousse Publishing, Exhibition Catalogue. Milan, La Triennale
Tagliafierro, Marco, Artforum.com, May
Mullem, Huise e Lede Wannegem, Ghent: Borgerhoff & Lamberigts nv, Exhibition Catalogue.
Villino Favaloro, Exhibition Catalogue. Palermo
Mugnaini, Alberto, Flash Art, May/June
Milan: Mousse Publishing, Exhibition Catalogue. Palazzo Reale, 'p' pp. 94–101
2014
Müller, Dominikus, Frieze d/e, May
2013
Casavecchia, Barbara, Mousse, Summer
Colard, Jean–Max, Les Inrockuptibles, June 26
Robecchi, Michele, Vitamin D2: New Perspectives in Drawing, Vitamin D2: New Perspectives in Drawing, 'p' pp. 242–243
2012
Griffin, Jonathan, ArtReview, April
ArtDaily.org, February 12
Scoccimarro, Antonio, Mousse, February/March
Colard, Jean–Max, L’Officiel, September/November
Shaw, Michael, Visual Art Source, March 14
MousseMagazine.it, March 13

Public collections

Country
Location
France
Collection Fonds de Dotation Famille Moulin, Paris
Germany
Gaby and Wilhelm Schürmann Collection, Herzogenrath
Italy
Fondazione Giuliani, Roma
Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Torino
MUSEION - Museo d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Bolzano
Museo del Novecento, Milano
United Arab Emirates
Mottahedan Collection, Dubai
United Kingdom
The Roberts Institute of Art, London
United States of America
MoMA - Museum of Modern Art, New York

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