Paolo Colombo (b. 1949, Turin) is a prominent Italian artist and curator currently based in Athens. Since 2008 he has served as art advisor for Istanbul Modern; was formerly curator of the Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI Secolo, Rome (2001-07); director of the Centre d’Art Contemporain, Geneva (1989-2000); and notably curated the Iraqi Pavilion at the 2017 Venice Biennale. Colombo's artistic journey began in 1977 when he became the first European artist to exhibit at MoMA PS1, New York. Recently he has resumed his personal artistic practice, creating watercolour and pencil drawings featuring characters from poetry, animals, and intricate patterns, inspired by ancient mosaics.
Paolo Colombo is one of the first artists to be commissioned for the ITERARTE variations series, working with artisans in India specialised in embroidery. His latest solo exhibition was at Baert Gallery, Los Angeles (2024). His work is included in public collections at the Benaki Museum, Athens and Istanbul Modern.
Mosaic floor. Ancient Messinia.
Artemis’s hand
THE CONFESSIONS QUESTIONNAIRE
Your name/nickname.
No nickname, Paolo.
What is your favourite dish?
White rice, potatoes, comfort food.
Tea or coffee?
Coffee.
Favourite place you’ve travelled to and why?
In 1971, the island of Paros, nothing has ever matched the beauty.
Favourite movie?
‘The Third Man’ – titles, music, love story, friendship, mystery – everything one can want in a movie.
Favourite book or poem and why?
Anything by Giorgos Seferis.
Your Life Motto or favourite quote?
“Con la mia pistola e il mio cuore” (“With my gun and my heart”).
What or who inspires you the most in life?
My best friends.
Three unique things about where you live?
The Parthenon, my stray cats, the proximity to the sea.
How do you escape a creative block?
I never have creative block.
Do you have a favourite colour?
Shades of blue.
Favourite art tool?
Paint brush.
Is your studio messy or tidy?
Medium.
What is the most challenging or exciting thing about being an artist?
I live in my biological time.
Craziest artistic experiment you've tried.
I’ve worked with some crazy people but I can’t tell you their names.
Describe your style in three words.
Patient, meticulous, light.
Most memorable artistic achievement.
Painting 86,000 pieces of mosaic, I must’ve made the same gesture 120,000 times to paint that mosaic bed for my piece.
Dream collaboration (with someone dead or alive)
With my friends.
CAMERA ROLL
Circular Paraphenalia
Assemblages
Places and Spaces
STUDIO COMPANIONS
Paolo Colombo talks to Tamara Chalabi about his latest project of mosaic paintings that includes a a variation collaboration with ITERARTE and his journey of becoming an artist. He discusses his many sources of inspiration and the motivation behind his work.
You can listen here:
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