Born in Foggia in 1986, from a young age, Agostino Iacurci showed great interest in art and creativity. His artistic origins must be traced to writing, i.e. writing with the markers and sprays Iacurci began to use when he was twelve. This passion then grew and evolved through his studies in illustration.

Agostino Iacurci’s works are influenced by a variety of sources, including Pop Art, comic books, and illustration. He has also drawn inspiration from mural art and the concept of public art, allowing him to take his works beyond traditional exhibition spaces and engage with a wider audience. His works often address social themes and contemporary issues, such as communication, identity, consumerism, and the relationship between the individual and public space. Using bright colors and simple forms, Iacurci creates images that stand out by virtue of their immediacy and great graphic potency. His works often feature stylized and abstract human figures that blend in harmoniously with their surroundings. From his hand come what might be described as contemporary fairytale characters. This distinctive style has made his works very popular and recognizable all over the world.

To fully understand Iacurci’s art, we cannot overlook the social initiatives in which he has been involved. In 2009, the artist painted a 300-meter wall for the Saba School in Sahrawi and, in 2011, with the collaboration of some inmates, he created three wall paintings in the inner courtyard of Rebibbia Prison, Rome.

His work has been featured in numerous exhibitions, festivals and projects in Europe, the United States, Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Australia, Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Recent exhibitions include Urban Art Biennale 2017, Völkinger Hütte, European Centre for Art and Industrial Culture, Germany; Cross the Streets, Macro Museum Rome, 2017; FADA, House of Madness, The Watermill Center, New York, 2016; the 16th Cairo Prize, Palazzo della Permanente, Milan, 2016; Codici sorgenti, Palazzo Platamone, Catania, 2015; From Street to Art, Italian Cultural Institute of New York, NY, 2014; and Artmosphere, Urban Art Biennale, Artplay, Moscow 2014.

His works have become monuments for various public and private institutions such as the Yakutsk Biennale, Yakutia, 2017; the BBDO headquarters, Southbank, London, 2017; Distrito Tec University, Monterrey, 2016; Govind Puri metro station, New Delhi, 2016; Mario Penna Institute, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Puerto Rico’s Stadium, Puerto Rico, 2015; “Le Tour 13,” Paris 2014; Besançon University Campus, Besançon, 2013; “Fubon Art Foundation,” Taipei, 2012; Saba School in Western Saharawi, 2011.

Gallery Exhibition

M77 Gallery presents Gypsoteca, a series of new works by Agostino Iacurci (Foggia, 1986).

A painter, illustrator, engraver, muralist and set designer, Agostino Iacurci has created a site-specific exhibition project for the spaces at the M77 Gallery. This exhibition is presented as the arrival point of almost two years of research, which has been based around the theme of colour as it was conceived and used in the practice of ancient statuary.

The starting point for Iacurci’s research is Greco-Roman sculpture, as seen in the practice that originally merged the specific materials of sculpture – marble, bronze, wood or terracotta – with colour, thus creating a single form. Over time, artificial antique taste has in some ways altered this, if not actually erased it, therefore giving rise to an idea of ​​classicism made of aseptic white marble or monochromatic patinas. Iacurci is fascinated by the reconstructions of the original Greek and Roman works, with their vivid colours and violent, almost psychedelic patterns. With Gypsoteca, the artist wanted to create a contemporary personal catalogue of the old. The series of works on show captures the echo of remote yet universal artistic languages. Colour stands out as an archaic symbol and, at the same time, signifies a contemporary reality populated by virtual phantoms to coexist with.

The exhibition will remain open to the public from Tuesday 22nd May until Saturday 8th September 2018 and will be accompanied by a volume with a text by Michele Bonuomo.

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