Monti Maurizio

«Monti tell us about things that we cannot tangibly see, even thug they exist… the moment they enter the pictorial space, the faces, the flowers, and everything else become absolute masks, metaphors and admonishments whispering that, in the current barbarisation, it’s up to the world to save the beauty» (Pier Luigi Gentilini)

Maurizio Monti was born in 1951 in Santa Sofia, near Forlì. As child he was immediately attracted to drawing, detaching himself from reality and creating a world of his own. Unlike his friends, for example, he didn’t play war, he drew his own. He filled every drawing paper he could find with endless battles, hundreds and hundreds of soldiers fighting a war, maybe an omen of the difficulties he would meet at the end of his childhood. Tanks to the gift of a paint box from his parents, he discovered painting. This passion led him, amongst other things, to recreate all the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel when he was only ten years old. In 1968 he won his first competition and started to display his works in many personal and collective exhibitions, knowing that painting was to be “his calling”. In 1970 he earned the degree of Maestro d’Arte and in 1971 he began freelancing as advertising graphic designer. Thanks to his works as a designer he explored many areas: from fashion to interior design and household goods, to the layout design for exhibition booths. Not wishing to adhere to the restrictions of the commercial industry, he gave up and, driven by his natural restlessness, he started on a hitchhiking journey to clear his mind. His travelling forced him to take up any kind of job to survive, until he found out the most fitting one: the “madonnaro” (pavement artist who paint holy images). For a few years, he travelled across Italy and most of Europe painting on pavements, honing his skills. Being liable for military service, he was forced to go back home. Once he has fulfilled his obligations, his creativity led him to follow another of his passion: Music. Working as a musician gave him the opportunity of free artistic choice, allowing him to also develop a very unique painting technique, beyond any trend and sterile elitism. In 1980 he earned his first International acknowledgement: the Premio della Presidenza (Presidency Award) at the VI European Art Biennal in Strasbourg, an award that opened for him the doors to private and public art collections. Even though he kept on cultivating his passion for music s a means of expression, and with about one hundred exhibitions to his name (amongst his exhibitions, particularly significant are those of Los Angeles, New York and Seoul), as of 1998 he is totally committed to painting, fulfilling what, in his own words, “is not a choice, it’s my destiny”.

Events and Exhibitions

2019 - Florence Art Gallery - Firenze - Italia

2018 - ARTION Galleries - Limassol - Cipro

2018 - Contemporary Still Life - Palazzo Pfanner - Lucca - Italia

2018 - San Paul De Vence - Cannes - France

2018 - Arte Fiera - Cesena - FC

2018 - Artion Galleries - Ginevra - Svizzera

2018 - Base Gallery - Londra - UK

2017 - Mostra d'arte - Premilcuore - FC

2017 - VERNICE ART FAIR - Forlì - FC

2017 - Antares - Dovadola - FC

2016 - Kunststation Kleinsassen - Hofbieber - Germania

2015 - Gallerie Orler - Venezia - VE

2015 - Galleria 20 - Torino - TO

2015 - ArteForlì Contemporanea 2015 - Forlì - FC

2014 - Gallerie Orler - Venezia - VE

2014 - Arte Fiera - Reggio Emilia - RE

2014 - Arte Forum - Faenza - RA

2014 - Palazzo Genovese - Salerno - SA

2014 - Palazzo Nefetti - S.Sofia - FC

2014 - Accademia Art Gallery- Las Palmas - Las Palmas - Gran Canarie (Spagna)

2013 - MONASTERO S.S.ANNUNZIATA - Tredozio - FC

2013 - Luci sull'arte - Amalfi - NA

2013 - ARTE PORTOFINO - Portofino - GE

2013 - FARSETTI ARTE - Prato - PO

2013 - Arte Forum - Faenza - RA

2013 - Galleria Capitol - Salerno - SA

2013 - MEETING ART - Roma - Italia

2013 - Gallerie Orler - VE

2012 - LOS ANGELES ART SHOW - Los Angeles - USA

2012 - ARTE EXPO – NEW YORK (USA) - NEW YORK - USA

2012 - WILLIN ART CUT - Firenze - FI

2012 - KIAF (KOREA INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR) – SEOUL (KOREA) - Seoul - KOREA

2011 - ARTE FORUM - FAENZA - RA

2011 - ARTEDOMINA (ROMA) - ROMA - ROMA

2011 - MULINO S.MICHELE - TREDOZIO - FC

2011 - GALLERIE ORLER - Venezia - VE

2011 - ARTE FIERA - PADOVA - PD

2011 - MUSEO "CASA NATALE DI GIOTTO" - VICCHIO - FI

2010 - GALLERIA DEL TEATRO ROMANO - Fiesole - FI

2010 - GALLERIE ORLER - Venezia - VE

2009 - ARTE FIERA DI REGGIO EMILIA (RE) 

2009 - GALLERIE ORLER (VE) 

2009 - ARTE FIERA FORLI’ (FC) 

2008 - ARTtime – LIGNANO SABBIADORO (VE) 

2008 - ARTE DOMINA – OSTUNI (BR) 

2008 - VERNICE ART FAIR - Forlì - FC

2008 - PALAZZO GRADARI – PESARO URBINO 

2008 - SAN GREGORIO ART GALLERY – VENEZIA 

2008 - GALLERIE ORLER (VE) 

2008 - ARTE FORUM – FAENZA (RA) 

2007 - ARTE FORUM FAENZA (RA) 

2006 - ARTE FORUM FAENZA (RA) 

2005 - PALAZZO DELLA PERMANENTE DI MILANO (MI) 

2004 - CUINI LOFT GALLERIE – PORTO S.ELPIDIO (MC) 

2003 - GALLERIA ARTE & RAKU – FAENZA (RA) 

2003 - GALLERIA MALATESTIANA – RIMINI 

2002 - GALLERIA ART STUDIO – RAVENNA 

2002 - GALLERIA VERNI INTERNI – FAENZA (RA) 

2001 - GALLERIA FORUM – FAENZA (RA) 

2000 - II° PREMIO CONCORSO INTERNAZIONALE “EUSTACHI” – MILANO 

2000 - GALLERIA FORUM – FAENZA (RA) 

2000 - GALLERIA EUSTACHI – MILANO 

1999 - GALLERIA SECONDO RINASCIMENTO – FERRARA 

1999 - GALLERIA LA SEMESTRALE – TREDOZIO (FC) 

1998 - LIBRO DI POESIE E PITTURA “ISOLE DI NOI” 

1998 - ART IVREA ‘98 

1998 - CONCORSO INTERNAZIONALE “ETRURIARTE” – LIVORNO 

1998 - GRAND PRIX DE LA COTE D’AZUR- NIZZA 

1996 - GALLERIA ARTE IN CORNICE – TORINO 

1996 - GALLERIA ACCADEMIA – MANTOVA 

1993 - GALLERIA "XC PACIFICI" - Forlì - FC

1991 - FIERA DEL LEVANTE - BARI - BA

1990 - II°PREMIO CONCORSO “BRUNO ALPI” - Modigliana - FC

1990 - ARTE FIERA - BOLOGNA - BO

1989 - GALLERIA MALATESTIANA - Rimini - RN

1988 - BI.D.ART. BIENNALE DI ARTE CONTEMPORANEA - BG

1987 - XII° CONCORSO NAZIONALE SALSOMAGGIORE TERME - Salsomaggiore Terme - PR

1982 - GALLERIA MOLINELLA - Faenza - RA

1980 - PREMIO DELLA PRESIDENZAVI°BIENNALE EUROPEA - Strasburgo - AUSTRIA

1978 - ARTE CONTEMPORANEA IN EMILIA ROMAGNA - DUE TORRI - BO

1977 - ART GALLERY - CESENATICO (FO) - Cesenatico - FC

1976 - PREMIO “MARINA DI RAVENNA” (RA) - Marina Di Ravenna - RA

1975 - GALLERIA DEI GIOVANI – IMOLA (BO) - Imola - BO

1968 - 1° PREMIO CONCORSO ”ROCCACCIA ‘68 - MODIGLIANA - FC