Biography

Bio EN

The human form is at the center of Marco Grassi’s artistic practice. Renown for his seductive depictions of women, Marco Grassi’s models are at once delicate and determined. His portraits, suffused with vibrant colours, carry a complex sensibility. Devoting himself to portraiture, Marco Grassi succeeds in challenging the typical standards of this genre through abstract colourplay and directional composition.

The artist forgoes preparatory sketches, choosing to apply his pigments directly on the canvas with a palette knife. In doing so, Marco Grassi allows the medium to define itself, honoring its texture and character. In his recent works, backgrounds tend to gradually integrate themselves with the subject, softly blending the frenetic edges created by the palette knife. Marco Grassi’s style is defined by his layered work, each strata of colour holding a unique energy and significance. The onlooker is invited to penetrate these layers to discover the emotional complexity of the artist’s subjects. His female nudes are provocative and inviting, distinguishing themselves from traditional figure studies.

Introducing a new thematic to his production, Kiddos is a collection of works featuring preadolescent subjects. Just old enough to have lost part of their innocence, they are on the cusp of disenchantment. The artist contrasts this fading virtue with the decadence and corruption of our contemporary society, incorporating contradicting symbols, icons, and modern mantras of pop culture to his teenage subjects. With the series Kiddos, Marco Grassi presents a wry commentary on the overwhelming social conditioning of today’s youth.

Born in Milan in 1966, Marco Grassi studied architecture at the Liceo Artistico B. Luini. His works are found in numerous private and public collections in Europe, the United States, and Canada. He lives and works in Mariano Comense, Italy.

DOWNLOAD CV
Back to Top