Artist
Paolo Icaro was born in 1936 in Turin. In 1962 his first solo exhibition was held at the Galleria Schneider. After having lived in New York from ’66 to ’68, Paolo Icarocame back in Italy to settle down in Genua, city in which he will be shown in several personal exhibitions. He fulfills works with materials like concrete or iron, poor materials, characterized by lightness, which is the basis of his works. In ’71 Paolo Icaro moved again to The United States, in order to live there for ten years. His research in the usage of materials is pivotal, he discovers gypsum proprieties which he implies in his works, a material that outworks on time, able to serve the print of the author. Gypsum, becomes the protagonist of Paolo Icaro‘s works and, thanks to its technical characteristics, makes the works monochrome so that they stay unique. He accomplishes sculptures in a complete character: plastic and flexible, fragile and rigid, rarefracted and spirtual; the gypsum becomes the protagonist of multiple series also during ’80s and stays nowadays the favorite and principal material used by the artist. He hold up solo and collective exhibitions both nationally and internationally: at the PAC, Milan (1982), Palazzina dei Giardini, Modena (1987), Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Trento (1995), Galleria Lorenzelli, Milan (2006), Centro d’Arte e Cultura Chiesa di San Paolo, Modena (2008). He collaborated with the UCLA Italian Department -University of California, Los Angeles- (2007). In 2006 he participated at the show Museo Museo Museo. 1998-2006 Duecentocinquanta opere per la Gam, curated by Pier Giovanni Castagnoli at Torino Esposizioni, where it has been shown the nucleus of works purchased by Galleria d’arte moderna e Contemporanea of Turin in 2005. On October 2007, Paolo Icaro has been invited by Luigi Ballerini to fulfill a permanent intervention for the UCLA Italian Department. The artist Paolo Icaro has participated to sevaral collective exhibitions: Time & Place, Milano-Torino. 1958-1968, curated by Luca Massimo Barbero (2008) and Italics. Arte italiana fra tradizione e rivoluzione 1958-2008, curated y Francesco Bonami (2008-2009). Among the latest solo exhibitions, the most important are: Modalità,held at Lorenzelli Arte, Milan (2006-2007); Faredisfarerifarevedere, curated by Mario Bertoni, held at Centro d’Arte e Cultura Chiesa di San Paolo, Modena (2008); Le pietre di marmo, hommage at the XXV Biennaial of Sculpture, held in Gubbio, curated by Giorgio Bonomi (2008); 15 Stele 15, curated by Lara Conte, held at Galleria Niccoli, Parma (2010); Su misura, curated by Lara Conte and Mauro Panzera, held at Glleria Il Ponte, Firenze (2011); I do as I did, held at Lorenzelli Arte, Milan(2011). Galleria Il Ponte presents his works at Miart fair, Milan (2016).