Ennio Calabria Explained

Ennio Calabria
Birth Date: 7 March 1937
Birth Place:Tripoli, Italian Libya
Death Place:Rome, Italy
Occupation:Painter

Ennio Calabria (7 March 1937 – 1 March 2024) was an Italian painter and illustrator.

Life and career

Born in Tripoli, Libya, at the time an Italian colony, at young age Calabria moved to Rome, where he graduated from the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma.[1] In 1958, he held his first solo exhibition at La Felucca gallery in Rome, and one year later he took part in the VIII Rome Quadriennale exhibition, eventually returning in the 1972, 1986 and 1999 editions.[2] In 1963, he co-founded the group "Il pro e il contro" with some art critics and colleagues, notably Renzo Vespignani.[3] In 1964, he exposed at the Venice Biennale, and between 1974 and 1978 he served as a member of its board of directors.[4] Beyond painting, Calabria illustrated books and posters, notably the poster of Luca Ronconi's Orlando Furioso.

Calabria was an artist influenced by Marxist aesthetics, and the main focus of his works were labourers, working environments and social changes.[5] [6] He was also a portrait painter, and among his better known works were a series of portraits of Pope John Paul II he made between 2002 and 2005, and Ritratti politici, a series of portraits of historical political figures.[7] He died in Rome on 1 March 2024, at the age of 86.

Notes and References

  1. News: Distefano . Natalia . Addio a Ennio Calabria, il pittore del "realismo sociale": ha raccontato le profondità del mondo con la luce e il colore . 14 March 2024 . . 2 March 2024 . it-IT.
  2. News: Angelucci . Caterina . Morto l’artista Ennio Calabria . 14 March 2024 . Artribune . 1 March 2024 . it-IT.
  3. Book: Nocentini . Giovanni . Artisti italiani del secondo Novecento . 1999 . Helicon . 32 . it . Ennio Calabria.
  4. News: Rondello . Salvatore . Ennio Calabria faceva arte attraverso il sociale . 14 March 2024 . . 4 March 2024 . it-IT.
  5. News: Redazione Cronaca di Roma . Addio Ennio Calabria, pittore del "realismo sociale", dal marxismo ai ritratti di Wojtyla . 14 March 2024 . . 1 March 2024 . it.
  6. News: Bellini . Irene . Ennio Calabria, addio all'artista che indagava l'esistenza . 14 March 2024 . InsideArt . 2 March 2024 . it-IT.
  7. News: Sala . Roberto . Il valore dell’autentico nella pittura. Il ricordo del Maestro Ennio Calabria - . 14 March 2024 . Rivista Segno . 4 March 2024 . it-IT.