Massimo Sansavini (1961-)

Born born in Forlì in 1961, he attended the "P.L. Nervi" Art School, the "G. Severini" Mosaic Institute in Ravenna and the Ravenna Fine Arts Academy. His basic artistic formation took place in the early 1980's through study, research and personal experience regarding the use of wood with lacquers and industriai resins. In 1999 he was invited by the Brazilian government and the director of the Sao Paulo Art Biennial to spend a year in the country and create sculptures during his stay. These were later exhibited in the main Brazilian museums, also at the behest of architect Oscar Niemeyer.

Since 2004 he has worked as a set designer for RAI TV. His works have been presented at the exhibition From Picasso to Botero, curated by Vittorio Sgarbi and held at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Arezzo, and at Palazzo Albertini in Forlì. In 2005 he created the Traditional Banner for the town of Gualdo Tadino. In 2006 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office for Contemporary Art chose him for that year's single project: a cycle of exhibitions at major German venues. The exhibitions were accompanied by a monograph published by Gangemi. In 2006 he founded "Soft-art", a movement which uses new materials in Contemporary art and which has received recognition and support from critics such as Maurizio Vanni, Alessandra Redaelli and Alessandro Riva.

Major exhibitions:
1992 Palazzo dei Capitani, Bagno di Romagna (Forlì).
Galleria II Quadrato, Cesenatico (Forlì).
1993 Mostra Internazionale d'Arte "Paola Petrini", Cesenatico (Forlì), critics' prize
awarded by Prof. Claudio Spadoni.
Opere recenti (Recent Works), Galleria II Quadrato, Cesenatico (Forlì).
Premio Europa, Bagno di Romagna (Forlì), 1st prize.
1994 Il Giardino di Legno (The Garden of Wood), Villa Prati, Bertinoro (Forlì).
1996 Municipal Gallery, Cesenatico (Forlì).
1998 Galleria Stefano Forni, Bologna, catalog Torcular, text by Alessandro Riva.
1999 From January to August 1999 he stayed in Sao Paulo, Brazil, invited by Fabio
Magalhàes, President of the Latin American Parliament and director of the Sao
Paulo Art Biennial, and created scuiptures that were shown at the Brazilian Museum
of Sculpture (MU.B.E.). The exhibition enjoyed the patronage of the Italian Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and the State Culture Secretariat of Sao Paulo. This itinerant
show was taken to the National Fine Arts Museum of Rio de Janeiro at the behest
of architect Oscar Niemeyer. Further exhibitions were held at the Italian Embassy in Brasilia and the Museums of Contemporary Art in Curitiba and Belo Horizonte,
concluding in May 2003 at the Museo de Ciencia e Tecnicas da Pontificia Universidade Catolica in Porto Alegre.
Picasso-Sansavini. Opere a confronto (Picasso-Sansavini. Compared works), Forlì
Trade Fair, Forlì, thirty ceramic works by Pablo Picasso and thirty by Massimo
Sansavini.
Sansavini. Opere recenti (Sansavini. Recent works), Arte Capitai Gallery, Brescia.
Sansavini, MU.B.E. - Museu Brasilero da Escultura, Sao Paulo, catalog Torcular,
texts by Tommaso Trini, Fabio Magalhàes, Giuseppe Bonini.
2001 Le Favole dell'Est (Fairytales of the East), Oratory of S. Sebastiano, Forlì, catalog
Oz Artedesign, text by curator Maria Virginia Cardi.
Sansavini, Museu Nacional de Belas Artes, Rio de Janeiro, catalog Torcular, texts
by Tommaso Trini, Fabio Magalhàes, Giuseppe Bonini.
2002 Sansavini, Italian Embassy, Brasilia, catalog Torcular, texts by Tommaso Trini, Fabio Magalhàes, Giuseppe Bonini.
2003 Sansavini, Museu de Ciencias e Tecnologia, Porto Alegre, catalog Torcular, texts by Tommaso Trini, Fabio Magalhàes, Giuseppe Bonini.
2004 Storie di Mare (Stories of the Sea), Agolanti Castle, Riccione, catalog Oz Artedesign, text by Franca Zoccoli.
Da Picasso a Botero (From Picasso to Botero), Civic Museum, Arezzo, catalog
Torcular, texts by Vittorio Sgarbi and Giovanni Faccenda.
Works and sets in the Rai Due TV studios for programs 2004-2005 "In Famiglia"
and "Piazza grande", directed by Michele Guardi.
Non Solo Favole (Not only Fairytales), Maison Enrico Coveri, Galleria del Palazzo,
Florence.
2005 Artur-o, Starhotels Michelangelo, Florence.
Ars Alchemica, Alchimia International Center of Restoration, Modena.
Sansavini, Italian Cultural Institute and Taapani Piirto Gallery, Helsinki.
Novecento (XX Century), ModenArte Gallery, Modena.
Works and sets in the Rai Due TV studios for programs 2005-2006 "In Famiglia"
and "Piazza grande", directed by Michele Guardi.
2006 In 2005 Sansavini devised a well constructed project of itinerant exhibitions at major German venues, at the Italian Embassy and at Italian Cultural Institutes.
It all grew out of collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office II
which promoted Neverland as its sole artistic project for 2006. It also involved,
beyond the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Italian Embassy in Berlin and all the
Italian Cultural Institutes. A catalog for these exhibitions was published by Gangemi
Editore in Rome, with texts by Maurizio Sciaccaluga, Maurizio Vanni, Francesco
Gallo, Renato Cristin, Maria Mazza and Marcello Matera.
Strumenti di speranza. La musica nelle arti visive (Instruments of Hope. Music in
Visual Arts), Civic Museum "Amedeo Modigliani", Follonica (Grosseto), catalog
Lions Club Alta Maremma, edited by Maurizio Vanni.
I Protagonisti: Sansavini, Buell, Wal (The Protagonists: Sansavini, Buell, Wal),
Vernice Art Fair, Forlì, curator Francesco Gallo.
Domus Artistica. Quattro artisti interpretano Palmezzano (Domus Artistica. Four
artists interpret Palmezzano), Palazzo Albertini and Civic Museums, Forlì, catalog
Maya Desnuda, edited by Francesco Gallo and Silvia Arfelli.
Dreaming, Museum of Foreign Art, Riga (Latvia), catalog Carlo Cambi Editore,
edited by Maurizio Vanni.
L'artista, il Maestro e Margherita (The Artst, the Master and Margarita), Palagio di
Parte Guelfa, Florence, in collaboration with M'ARS Contemporary Art Museum of
Moscow, catalog Lions Club 1° Circoscrizione - Dis tretto 108 LA Toscana, edited by
Maurizio Vanni.
Neverland, Italian Cultura! Institute, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hamburg, catalog
Gangemi Editore, Rome, texts by Maurizio Sciaccaluga, Maurizio Vanni, Francesco
Gallo, Renato Cristin, Maria Mazza and Marcello Matera.
Ora (e)labora - 2nd year, Capuchin Monastery, Modigliana (Forlì), in collaboration
with the Academy of the Incamminati.
Sansavini e Buldrini. Artisti a confronto (Sansavini e Buldrìni. Compared artists),
Galleria del Palazzo, Pietrasanta (Lucca).
Sansavini e Lodola. Vespe nella Notte (Sansavini and Lodola. Vespe by night),
Notte Bianca, Rome, on the occasion of thè 60^ anniversary of the Piaggio
company.
Omaggio a Marilyn. Sansavini, Rotella, P. Kostabi, Chiari, Ronda (Homage to
Marilyn. Sansavini, Rotella, P. Kostabi, Chiari, Ronda), Galleria Pancaldi, Rome.
Neverland, Italian Cultural Institute, Wolfsburg (Germany).
Neverland, Italian Cultural Institute, Berlin.
2007 Art Miami, MOdenArte Gallery, Miami (Florida).
FTL Moda Fashion Week, Fort Lauderdale (Florida).
Recent Works, Kashogi Gallery, St. Augustine (Florida).
Colors of Art, MOdenArte Gallery, Boca Raton (Florida).
Neverland, Rathaus and Italian Consulate, Nuremberg (Germany).
CARS, Artemisia Art Gallery, Montecarlo.
Ora (e)labora - 3rd year, Capuchin Monastery, Modigliana (Forlì), in collaboration
with the Academy of the Incamminati, curator Claudia Casali.
Luci e colori a Umbria Jazz (Lights and Colors at Umbria Jazz), II Gianicolo Art
Gallery, Perugia.
Caterina Sforza Fortress, Forlì, stage design for jazz concert by Jimmy Owens &
Chicco Capiozzo Quartet.
Eu Art, itinerant exhibition, Miami, Boston, New York, Atlanta.
2008 Kindergarten Galleria Modenarte Iseo (Brescia), catalog published by Carlo Cambi text by Alessandra Redaelli and Mauro Corradini.
Flower Power Galleria Carbonari Cesena, catalog published by Stampare text by
Orlando Piraccini
Dieci per Cento, (Ten Percent) Contemporary art Museum Cento (Ferrara) catalog
published by Carlo Cambi text by Giampaolo Trotta.
Passioni (Passions) Galleria World's Artists. Milano.
Toxic Rocca Albornozian Castle Forlimpopoli (Forli-Cesena).
La Cucina di Casa nel Piatto (Home Cooking in the Dish) Chiesa dei Servi
Forlimpopoli (Forli- Cesena). catalog published by Coinè
Love Gallerie Civiche di Palazzo Ducale Pavullo nel Frignano (Modena) Catalog
published by Gallerie Civiche di Palazzo Ducale text by Paolo Donini, Daniela
Del Moro.
Milan Fashon Week collection woman spring summer 2008 design Sansavini
Artcore Galleria del Palazzo "Enrico Coveri Maison" Firenze
2009 Futurismo Antological exibithion Palazzo Ducale Lecce catalog by Luigi Tallarico
Sansavini recent work Gallery L'incontro Cosenza
Neverland Galleria Piazza Dante Giulianova (TE)
Salone del Mobile Milano home collection bey Sansavini for Maison Enrico Coveri
Bibliography catalog
1994 Alfonso e Nicola Vaccari, Il Giardino di Legno (The Garden of Wood), catalog of the exhibition held at Villa Prati (Bertinoro), ed. MDM, Forlì, 1994.
1998 Alessandro Riva, Massimo Sansavini, catalog of the exhibition held at the Galleria
Stefano Forni, Bologna, Torcular edition, 1998.
1999 Tommaso Trini, Giuseppe Bonini, Fabio Magalhàes, Sansavini, exhibition catalog, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro (Mu.B.E. and Museu Nacional de Belas Artes), Brasilia
(Italian Embassy), Porto Alegre (MCT), Torcular editions, 1999.
2001 Maria Virginia Cardi, Le Favole dell'Est (Fairytales of the East), Oratory of S.
Sebastiano, Forlì, catalog Torcular, 2001.
2004 Various authors. Arte Moderna numero 40 (Modern Art N° 40), Giorgio Mondadori Editore, 2004, p. 335.
Vittorio Sgarbi, Giovanni Faccenda, Da Picasso a Botero (From Picasso to Botero),
Civic Museum, Arezzo, catalog Torcular, pp. 300-304.
Franca Zoccoli, Storie di Mare (Stories of the Sea), catalog of the exhibition held at
the Agolanti Castle, Riccione, Edizioni Oz Artedesign, 2004.
2005 Various authors, Arte Moderna numero 41 (Modern Art n.41), Editoriale Giorgio Mondadori, 2005, p. 333.
2006 Various authors, I Protagonisti: Sansavini, Buell, Wal (The Protagonists: Sansavini, Buell, Wal) catalog of the exhibition held at the Vernice Art Fair, Forlì, Ed. Coinè,
Various authors, Neverland catalog of the exhibition held in Hamburg, Wolfsburg,
Berlin, Nuremberg, Ed. Gangemi, Rome, 2006.
Silvia Arfelli, Francesco Gallo, Domus Artistica, catalog of the exhibition held at the
Palazzo Albertini, Forlì, Ed. Maya Desnuda, 2006.
Maurizio Vanni, Dreaming, catalog of the exhibition held at the Foreign Art Museum
of Riga, Carlo Cambi Editore, 2006.
Maurizio Vanni, L'Artista, il Maestro e Margherita (The Artist, the Master and
Margarita), catalog of the exhibition held at the Palagio di Parte Guelfa, Firenze,
Ed. Lions Club 1° Circoscrizione - Distretto 108 LA Toscana, 2006.
Maurizio Vanni, Strumenti di speranza. La musica nelle arti visive (Instruments of
Hope. Music in the Visual Arts), catalog of the exhibition held at the Civic Museum
"Amedeo Modigliani", Follonica, Ed. Lions Club Alta Maremma, 2006.
2007 Claudia Casali, Ora (e)labora, catalog of the exhibition held at the former Capuchin
Monastery, Modigliana, Ed. Area, 2007.
2008 Alessandra Redaelli, Mauro Corradini, Kindergarten, catalog of the exibithion at the
Modenarte Gallery Iseo Brescia Ed. Carlo Cambi Editore, 2008.
Orlando Piraccini, Flower Power catalog of the exhibition at the Cantina Carbonari
Cesena Ed Stampare 2008.
Giampaolo Trotta, Dieci per Cento (Ten Percent) catalog of the exibition at the
Gallery of Contemporary Art of Cento Ferrara Ed. Carlo Cambi Editore, 2008.
Paolo Donini, Daniela del Moro, Love, catalog of the exibition held at the Palazzo
Ducale, Pavullo sul Frignano Ed. Palazzo Ducale Pavullo.
magazine
1998 Francesco Cardea, "Sansavini. Il mondo in technicolor del nuovo Depero tra luci suoni e smalti" ("Sansavini. The technicolor world of the new Depero amid lights sounds and lacquers"), Arte Mondadori, Cairo Editore, 04/98, pp. 66-67.
Giuseppe Bonini, "Legni di Fiaba" ("Fairytale wood". Arte In, Euroedizioni, 05-
06/98, pp. 74-75.
Alessandro Riva, "La nuovissima scultura" ("The very new sculpture"), Arte
Mondadori, Cairo Editore, 08/98, pp. 84-91.
1999 Silvio Saura, "La Bella Estate" ("The Fine Summer"), Arte in, Edizioni d'Arte
Europee, 08-09/99, pp. 110-111.
Daniel Piza, "Selecao de Bravo", Bravo, ed. Abril, Sao Paulo, 08/99, pp. 80-81.
2001 Paolo Rizzi, "Con gli occhi di un bambino" ("With a Child's Eyes"), Arte In, Edizioni d'Arte Europee, 07-08/2001, pp. 54-55.
2004 Davide Argnani, "lllu-minismo dello spirito" ("ll-Luminism of the Spirit"), Confini, Ed. Il Ponte Vecchio, 18/2004, pp. 41-44.
2005 Marja Leena Salo, "Elamanmernen Pyorteissa", A&K, ed. Eafonts, Finland, 2-
3/05,p. 128.
Emma Franceschini, "Vivo dentro un'opera d'arte" ("I live in an art work"). Chi, n. 32, 17 August 2005, pp. 77-78.
Jutta Yla-Mononen, "VariaJa vauhtia huvipuiston malliin", ed. Koti ja keittio,
Finland,8/05, pp. 14-15.
Sofia Raggi, "Per tutti i Santi!!! Il palio secondo Sansavini" ("For all the Saints!!! The Palio according to Sansavini"), Bussolo Apex, Gualdo Tadino, 09/05, p. 4.
2006 Roberta Brunazzi, "Favola Brasilera" ("Brazilian Fairytale"), Premium Magazine
Forlì, Ed. In Magazine, 02/06, pp. 82-83.
Alessandra Redaelli, "Morbida e colorata arriva la Soft-Art" ("Soft and colored, here
comes Soft-Art"), Arte Mondadori, Cairo Editore, 04/06 p. 173.
Anna Caterina Bellati, "La natura in technicolor di Sansavini" ("Sansavini's
Technicolor Nature"), Arte Mondadori, Cairo Editore, 09/06 p. 75.
2008 Alessandra Redaelli "L'anima sensuale del legno" (The Sensual Soul of the
Wood) Arte Mondadori ed Cairo 05/08 pg 45 Daily Journal
1992 Fanny Monti, "II poeta del legno" ("The Poet of Wood", Il Resto del Carlino,
30 September 1992.
1999 Maria Hirszman, "MuBE reune obras de Britto Velho e Sansavini", O Estado de S. Paulo, 6 August 1999.
Juliana Monachesi, "Mu.b.e se eseconde a lodo do MIS", Folha de S. Paulo, 8 August 1999.
2001 Enzo Dall'Ara, "Le Favole dell'Est" ("Fairytales of the East"), Corriere di Romagna, 10 May 2001.
Francesca Garavini, "Favole scolpite nel legno" ("Fairytales Sculpted in Wood"), La
Voce, 5 June 2001.
Rosanna Ricci, "Tutti i colori delle favole" ("All the Colors of Fairytales"), Il Resto del Carlino, 9 June2001.
2002 Alessandro Papayannidis, "Famoso grazie a Telemarket" ("Famous thanks to
Telemarket"), Il Resto del Carlino, 15 March 2002.
2004 Samuele Amadori, "Sansavini. Un mare di storie" ("Sansavini, a Sea of Stories"), Corriere di Romagna, 16 March 2004.
Riccardo Baietti, "Le storie di mare di Sansavini" ("Sansavini's Stories of the
Sea"),L'Unità, 2 April 2004.
Giorgio Costa, "I colori di Sansavini creano storie di mare" ("Sansavini's colors
create stories of the sea"), Il Sole 24 ore, 2 April 2004.
Rosanna Ricci, "Da Picasso a Botero fino a... Sansavini" (From Picasso to Botero
to...Sansavini), II Resto del Carlino, 3 August 2004.
Samuele Amadori, "I menestrelli delle vacanze tra Forlì e Rimini" ("Vacation
minstreis between Forlì and Rimini"), Corriere di Romagna, 4 August 2004.
Enzo Dall'Ara, "Da Picasso a Botero passando per Forlì" ("From Picasso to Botero,
passing through Forlì"), Corriere di Romagna, 8 August 2004.
Paola Quintana, "In 7000 per Picasso" ("7000 for Picasso"), Il Resto del Carlino 29
August 2004.
Francesca Garavini, "Un forlivese nel salotto di Magalli" ("A Forlì man in Magalli's
salon"), La Voce, 12 September 2004.
Rosanna Ricci, "Gli intarsi di Sansavini in diretta tv sulla Rai" ("Sansavini's inlaying
live on RAI TV"), Il Resto del Carlino, 14 September 2004.
Rosanna Ricci, "Massimo Sansavini espone alla Maison Coveri di Firenze"
("Massimo Sansavini exhibits at Maison Coveri in Florence"), Il Resto del Carlino,
24 November 2004.
Rita Sanvincenti, "Come nelle fiabe gli incastri d'arte di Massimo Sansavini"
("Massimo Sansavini's art embedded as in fairytales"), Il Corriere di Firenze, 25
novembre 2004.
2005 Tarja Heikkonen, "Italian Harrastus toi taidetta kampaamoon", Aamuposti 20
February 2005
2008 Giuliano Monari "Rassegne e convegni nei luoghi simbolo della città" (Reviews and conventions in places symbol of the city) Il Resto del Carlino Ferrara 02 june 2008 pg27.
Mauro Corradini "Alla galleria modenarte di Iseo esposte le opere di Massimo
Sansavini" (At the Modenarte Iseo gallery exhibited the works of Massimo
Sansavini) Brescia Oggi 03 may 2008 pg32.
Paola Gabrielli "I sapori di Artusopoli" (Artusopoli's Flawours) Corriere di Bologna
21/06/2008 pg 21.
2003 Secreteria de Cultura do Paranà, "Artista italiano abre exposicao no hall da
secreteria da cultura", published on www.diariobr.hpg.ig.com.br, 15 March 2003.
2008 Beniculturali editor, Il Kindergarten di Massimo Sansavini in mostra ad Iseo
(The Kindergarten of Sansavini Show in Iseo)
march 2008.
Davis e Franceschini, Massimo Sansavini - Kindergarten TV Interviews
2005 Rai 2, program "In Famiglia", Giancarlo Magalli interviews Sansavini, 28 March 2005.
2007 Rai International, program "Sestante", Stefano Salimbeni interviews Sansavini, on the occasion of the FTL Moda Miami exhibition, 21 and 28 January 2007.

The following have written about Sansavini:
Silvia Arfelli art critic and exhibition curator.
Giuseppe Bonini lecturer in Aesthetics at the Brera Fine Arts Academy, art critic and exhibition curator.
Renato Cristin philosopher, lecturer in Hermeneutics at Trieste University and
author of various books, director or the Italian Cultural Institute in Berlin.
Maria Virginia Cardi lecturer in Anthropology at the Ravenna and Brera Fine Arts
Academies.
Francesco Gallo lecturer in History of Art at thè Academy of Rome and Naples, art
critic and exhibition curator, author of various works on art history.
Tatja Heikkonen exhibition curator and Aamuposti Finland journalist.
Marisa Hirszmann art critic, curator and journalist (O Estado, Sao Paulo).
Fabio Magalhàes director of the Sao Paulo Art Biennial, president of the Latin America Memorial, curator of the Mercosul Biennial.
Juliana Monachesi art critic and journalist with La Folha, Sao Paulo.
Alessandra Redaelliart critic and exhibition curator. Arte Mondadori journalist.
Rosanna Ricci journalist, Il Resto del Carlino.
Alessandro Riva art critic and exhibition curator, deviser of the "Italian Factory" project and Arte Mondadori journalist.
Paolo Rizzi journalist, Il Gazzettino di Venezia, Arte in.
Maurizio Sciaccaluga art critic, curator and Arte Mondadori journalist.
Vittorio Sgarbi art critic and exhibition curator.
Tommaso Trini lecturer in History of Art at the Brera Fine Arts Academy, art critic
and art historian, author of various works on art history.
Maurizio Vanni, museologist, art historian, art critic and exhibition curator.
Franca Zoccoli, writer, art historian and journalist (Il Resto del Carlino) she has
written various books on Futurism.



Source:
Information provided by Anna Fiorentini, Italy