BORDER VISIONS – Solo Exhibition by Paolo Asaro

BORDER VISIONS

Solo Exhibition by Paolo Asaro

Conceived and curated by Simona Micheli of the FRAM!LAB Cultural Association, and held under the patronage of Rome’s Municipality I (City Centre), this art exhibition presents a pictorial narrative steeped in intimate, evocative imagery—a fusion of outer and inner landscapes straddling two worlds, at the boundary between Europe and Africa.

The title "Border Visions" (*Visioni di Frontiera*) highlights the significance of artistic creation within a "middle ground"—a land imbued with a history of cultural intermingling, unions, and convergences that give shape to a rich, vibrant artistic expression.

In the works of this Sicilian artist, brushstrokes transform into multifaceted marks of dreamlike narratives, where familiar places blur into imagined ones. His painting style—characterized by intricate layering on textured surfaces and a variety of techniques—features details that evoke the natural elements of a land buffeted by the fury of various contradictions. Mediterranean and Eastern influences merge with contemporary European aesthetics to create a visual language defined by a unique, highly original style, establishing Asaro as one of the most compelling contemporary Sicilian artists. Curator Simona Micheli also aims to present the Roman public with the 78 tarot cards titled "I Trionfi del Regno di Sicilia" (The Triumphs of the Kingdom of Sicily). These cards—illustrated by Paolo Asaro and produced and published by Dal Negro in May 2022—are a clear expression of the island's multicultural and multi-ethnic influences, centering on key figures from the Arab-Norman Kingdom of Sicily.

As they move through the elegant rooms of Palazzo Velli, visitors can admire 98 of the artist's works: 20 of his most recent paintings—created in oil on canvas between 2011 and 2022, following his return to Sicily—and the evocative set of 78 tarot card illustrations.

THE ARTIST

A complex and multifaceted artist, Paolo Asaro was born in Mazara del Vallo on October 22, 1967. He attended the Art High School and the Academy of Fine Arts in Palermo, graduating in 1990. Notable highlights of his career include his sculptural works from the 1990s, the 2006 founding of the independent audiovisual production label ZerKaloVideo in Brescia, and his role in establishing the "Scuola di Mazara" (Mazara School) alongside other artists in 2020.

USEFUL INFORMATION – EXHIBITION VISIT

Opening: Friday, March 17 at 6:00 PM

Saturday, March 18: 10:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Sunday, March 19: 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM

FREE ADMISSION