Salvatore Arancio was born in Catania, Italy, in 1974 and lives and works between London and Nice, France.
The main interest at the center of Salvatore Arancio’s artistic practice lies in the potential of images. Particularly in how images and their meaning can be re-framed or re-viewed. Each facet of his practice contains an intertwining juxtaposition of the roots and representation of images: natural and artificial, mineral and vegetable, scientific and mythological. Departing from their literal meaning, through the use of a range of media such as ceramics, etching, collage, animation and video, Arancio creates new juxtapositions that are both beautifully evocative and deeply disquieting, aiming to create a sort of atlas of confusion.
He participated in the following biennials: Esposizione d’Arte Internazionale, La Biennale di Venezia, Venezia, Italy (2017); BI-CITY Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture, Shenzen, China (2020); Biennale Ceramica – 60° Premio Faenza, MIC, Faenza, Italy (2018); Gyeonggi International Ceramic Biennale, Icheon, Korea (2017); Manif D’Art 5, The Quebec City Biennal, Quebec, Canada (2010); Prague Biennale 4, Karlin Hall, Prague, Czech Republic (2009).
Among his solo shows we can mention: Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK (2018); Kunsthalle Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland (2016); Camden Arts Centre, London, UK (2015); Ensapc Ygrec, Paris, France (2014); Project 09: Salvatore Arancio, Contemporary Art Society, London, UK (2015); Centre d’art contemporaine La Halle des Bouchers, Vienne, France (2015); Spacex, Exeter, UK (2011); Kaleidoscope Project Space, Milan, Italy (2009).
Among the group shows: Strange Clay: Ceramics in Contemporary Art, Hayward Gallery, London (2022), Ceramics Now, Galerie Italienne, Paris (2022); Contre Nature, MO.CO, Montpellier, (2022); Point of Equilibrium, MAXXI, L’Aquila (2021); Education Through Art, Galleria D’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, Bergamo, Italy (2020); Mushrooms: The Art, Design and Future of Fungi, Somerset House, London, UK (2020); Before we vanish, Museo Novecento, Firenze, Italy (2019); Prospettiva Arte Contemporanea, Gallerie d’Italia, Milan, Italy (2019); Is This Planet Earth?, Ferens Art Gallery, Hull, UK (2019); Classic Reloaded. Mediterranea, Bardo National Museum, Tunisi, Tunisia (2019); Evolutionary Travels, Foundacion Arte, Buenos Aires, Argentina (2016); The London Open 2015, Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK (2015); Curiosity: Art & the Pleasure of Knowing, de Appel Arts Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery, Norwich, UK, Turner Contemporary, Margate, UK, (2014 – 2013); Cyclorama, Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporaneo, Mexico City, Mexico (2013); Ceci n’est pas du cinéma! Castello di Rivoli – Museo Nazionale del Cinema, Turin, Italy (2011); SI Sindrome Italiana, Magasin-Centre National d’Art Contemporain de Grenoble, France (2010).
Arancio has been awarded with the Cantica 21 in 2021, the Italian Council Grant in 2018, the Elephant Trust Grant, in 2011, the New York Prize in 2009 and has been selected for Bloomberg New Contemporaries in 2006.
His works are part of the following institutional and public collections: Maxxi, Roma; MART, Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto; Museo Montelupo, Montelupo Fiorentino; Centre National des Arts Plastiques, Paris, France; FRAC-Artothèque, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France; Museo Tamayo, Mexico City, Mexico; Harris Museum, Preston, UK; Galeries Lafayette Foundation, Paris, France; Fondo di Acquisizione “Giampiero Cantoni” di Fondazione Fiera Milano, Milan, Italy.
Salvatore Arancio is represented by Federica Schiavo Gallery in Rome and Semiose in Paris.
Visit Salvatore Arancio’s website and Instagram page.
Featured work
We Don’t Find The Pieces They Find Themselves, 2022
Like a Sort of Pompeii in Reverse, 2019
It Was Only a Matter of Time Before We Found the Pyramid And Forced It Open, 2017
Oh Mexico!, 2016
