Last year, Italian artist Tomaso Albertini was artist-in-residence at the Naples Art Institute. He creates dynamic three-dimensional art by constructing a cardboard sculpture on canvas and then painting over it with gesso, acrylics and spray paint.
In the realm of art, Albertini’s process, medium and compositions are unique. They had to be in order to stand out among the competition. Following his graduation from the Academy of Fine Arts and Illustration in Milan, he moved to New York City to launch his art career there.
“There are so many artists in New York, and the competition is a lot, so my first goal was to be different than the other artists,” said Albertini, as he worked on a new composition in his studio at Naples Art Institute. “And the fact my paintings are three-dimensional, this was, I think, what made my works different and unique.”
He stood out so much that in 2018, Sotheby’s selected Albertini to be the face of their “Old Masters Meet the Street” project. While his canvases retain their definitive street art vibe, his color palette and subject matter now reflect Southwest Florida.
“The palette, it is similar in some way, but you can see now how my works change,” Albertini noted. “There are more natural elements. The movement is different. I try inspiration from different artists like Francis Bacon, Dali, so many of the street artists, like Blue. I try to steal from everybody.”
Besides being in private collections from New York, L.A. and Miami to Milan, Venice, Turin and Dubai, his work is so much in demand that Albertini has been invited to participate in such prestigious fairs as Art Basel, Scope Miami and Urban Art NYC.
But you can view some 25 pieces of his 3D art at Naples Art Institute now through May.
THE BACKGROUND:
Tomaso’s move to New York City in 2015 inspired his new technique.
“I start this unique technique 10 years ago,” Albertini recounted. “I start with the cardboard, taken from the street, and put everything on canvas. When I went to New York, I didn’t really know anybody, so I used the materials from the street in the beginning.”
Albertini says that NYC’s streets and energy also impacted his color palette. The city’s surreal balance of wealth and poverty influenced and is reflected in his choice of cardboard as his primary medium.
After some 10 years in New York City, Albertini currently lives and works in Naples, Florida. “Me and my family live here in Naples because I have two kids and we decide to raise the kids here in Florida,” he said.
Albertini advocates for art as a conduit for change. He uses his artwork to partner with and support nonprofit organizations such as Rainforest Alliance, Mission Blue and Fabien Cousteau’s Ocean Learning Center, among others.
The Naples Art Institute is at 585 Park St. in Naples.
For more information, visit https://www.naplesart.org or telephone 239-262-6517.
The institute is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
To read more stories about the arts in Southwest Florida visit Tom Hall's website: SWFL Art in the News.