Riccardo Mazzei
Resident Artist at (Re)Create during the Spring to Fall of 2009
Having engaged subjects as diverse as political icons, natural and animal elements and human portrait, my work reproduces emotionally charged pictorial language, arranging them into new conceptually layered pieces. These themes are combined into collages that feature a traditional Chinese sketching painted monochrome, juxtaposed on green tea treated paper with iron oxidation, and embellished with uncoated white painted stenciled multilingual text. The color white reinforces the real quality of words, suggests a sense of time, and formally connects the disparate parts in each picture. The texts from fragments of poems and cubist paintings provide clues to content and interpretation. I use a variety of different papers and processes in each project with consistent methodology. The subject matter of each body of work determines the materials and the forms of the work. Each project consists of multiple pieces, in a collage media, grouped around the following themes and meanings: Joss Paper, in representation of Mediterranean symbols; Green Paper, in honor of poetry and alchemy; Stereo Paper, in offering of pagan gods; Date Paper, in praise of the encounters and Metro Paper, in celebration of re-use. I have been collaborating with Legambiente (League for the Environment) for eco-compatible installations in the Island of Elba, since 2012.
Solo Exhibitions
2019. Plebem. Installation/Performance, San Lorenzo, Marciana, Elba Island, Italy
2018. Alta. Installation/Performance, Marciana, Elba Island, Italy
2018. Mondlandshaft. Installation, Sant’Andrea, Elba Island, Italy
2017. Kaoling. Installation, Sant’Andrea, Elba Island, Italy
2016. Date Paper. Founders Workspace, Brooklyn, New York
2016. Metropapers. T. Signorini Gallery, Portoferraio, Elba Island. Italy
2016. Orto turistico. Performance, La Torre, Marciana Marina, Elba Island, Italy
2016. Riddle Sea. Installation, Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York
2015. Cavalloni. Installation. Marciana Marina, Elba Island, Italy
2015. Cavalloni. Exhibition at Festambiente. Rispescia, Grosseto, Italy
2015. High Fidelity Collage. Performance, Epistrophy, New York
2014. Holy crab!. Installation, Marciana Marina, Elba Island, Italy
2013. Abbasso il fascio. Installation, Ripa Barata, Elba Island, Italy
2012. Ad Pontem. Art into the Park, Maciarello, Elba Island, Italy
2009. Mare Nostrum. Permanent installation, Castelnuovo Calcea, Alba, Italy
2008. Green Tea Paper. Bread, New York
2007. Stereo Paper. Hight Fidelity, Epistrophy, New York
2005. Mode in China. Bread, New York
2002. Fish at Bread. Joss Paper, Bread, New York
1987. Domestic Gallery, Florence, Italy
1986. Riccardo Mazzei. ARCI Gallery, Pisa, Italy
Group Exhibitions
2017. Street Smart. Terra Firma, Brooklyn, New York
2016. Some Pops. ECA+Gallery, Easthampton, MA
2015. Off Chelsea. Scene Space, New York
2013. L’Arte non trema. Modena, Italy
2011. CURE-ATED. Art Kill NYC, New York
2011. Migration Art. LaMama Gallery, New York
2009. Talent PReVIEW. White Box Gallery, New York
1993. Indicazioni di rotta. Marciana Marina, Elba Island, Italy
1991. Polittico di S. Giovanni Trotzem. Arno River, Florence, Italy
1990. Casa Masaccio. Center for Contemporary Art, Arezzo, Italy
1989. Al Muro. Stazione Leopolda, Florence, Italy
1989. Far libro. Casermetta del Forte Belvedere, Florence, Italy
1989. Arno’. Arno River, Florence, Italy
1988. Vikingsbergart. Vikingsberg Museum, Helsingborg, Sverige
1987. Mezzogiorno. Permanent exhibition, Soho, New York
1987. Il colore e il suo contrario. Abbazia S. Scolastica, Bari, Italy
1985. FIREnze. Piazza Santo Spirito, Florence, Italy
1984. Mezzaluna. Permanent exhibition, New York
1977. Oltre la matita. Video Architecture Contest, Padova, Italy