Giancarlo Vitali (painter)
Giancarlo Vitali (born 29 November 1929) is a contemporary Italian painter.
Biography
Vitali was born at Bellano, on Lake Como, from a family of fishermen. He began painting when he was fifteen, after having worked for the Institute of Graphic Arts of Bergamo. In 1947 he exposed his first work at the Angelicum in Milan, on the occasion of the biennial exhibition of sacred art. In 1949 he came to perform in the biennial exhibition two of his works: Visitazione and Cena in Emmaus receiving enthusiastic appreciations from Carlo Carrà. He awarded a fellowship from the Brera Academy but because his family couldn't afford to maintain him in Milan he renounced it. Thus his concerned decisive moment will result in a long period of silence in his striving to fulfillment.
In 1981 his son [Velasco]Velasco Vitali, painter as well as his father, supported and encouraged him to begin the activity of engraver.
In 1983 Giovanni Testori Associazione Testori after having seen a quartered rabbit wanted to meet the artist. A profound and solid relationship, founded on mutual esteem and admiration, stems from this encounter, which later became a prolonged deep-rooted friendship. The year after Testori dedicated to the artist an article in the third page of the Corriere della Sera and afterwards organized the first solo exhibition of the artist. Thus from that moment on he got to perform in several public and private locations and released a copious series of catalogues and engravings portfolios.
At the end of 1980s he realized lots of public works. Among which the remarkable The Portrays of Benefactors of the Ospedale Maggiore in Milan commissioned by the framework Foundation Ca' Granda.
Exhibitions
- 2008 - Giancarlo Vitali, set up by Mario Botta, curated by Carlo Bertelli in the new A.N.C.E. building, Lecco.
- 2007 - Giancarlo Vitali works, IIC Madrid
- 2005 - Cartella Clinica, chronicle of an unsought sojourn. Drawings and paintings in the Aula Magna of the Ospedale di Lecco.
- 2003 - L’Oltranza della pittura, in memory of Giovanni Testori. Spazio Cinquesensi, Milan.
- 2002 - La musica dipinta, drawings and oils. Spazio Cinquesensi, Milan.
- 2001 - D’après, Arsmedia – Bergamo; in 2002 the exhibition is presented, adding further drawings and oils, at Compagnia del disegno in Milan.
- 2000 - Il Paese del Pittore, homage by the city of Bellano for his 70th birthday. Spazi industriali dell'ex Cotonificio Cantoni.
- 2000 - Lunario Minimo, organized by the Comune di Cento in collaboration with Promoart, Ferrara. Chiesa sconsacrata di San Lorenzo.
- 1999 - The public library of Milan held an exhibition at Palazzo Sormani presented by Giancarlo Consonni with more than 100 works on paper. The Cantico gallery in the monastery of San Damiano (Assisi) hosted the exhibition Le stagioni della Vita, presented by Domenico Montalto.
- 1997 - La Memoria Sottile, at the Scuderie of Villa Manzoni, Lecco. Over 100 drawings.
- 1996 - A huge anthology curated by Marco Goldin and set up at Palazzo Sarcinelli in Conegliano.
- 1994 – Giancarlo Vitali, Anthology of the engravings organized by Civica Raccolta Bertarelli at Sala Castellana of Castello Sforzesco in Milan.
- 1991 - Le forme del tempo, a tribute to the notable figure of the paleontologist abbot Antonio Stoppani. Musei Civici of Lecco, Villa Manzoni and Galleria Bellinzona.
- 1987 - La famiglia dei ritratti, still curated by Testori and set up at Musei Civici of Lecco.
- 1985 - Giancarlo Vitali, curated by Giovanni Testori. La Compagnia del Disegno, Milan. It may be considered his first solo exhibition. During these years several exhibitions will succeed in various locations.
Publications
- Giancarlo Vitali, paintings, engravings and drawings. Texts by L. Castellucci. Florence packaging. 2007.
- Cartella Clinica. Preface by Marco Vallora. Texts by Giancarlo Vitali and Andrea Vitali (writer and award winner in 2007 of the Bancarella prize. He is also Giancarlo Vitali's doctor) Wanted by the Ospedale Manzoni of Lecco. Cattaneo publishing, 2005.
- Dono di luoghi. Poems by Giancarlo Consonni. Wanted by the Lecco Province Builders Association . Itaca publishing, 2004.
- L’Oltranza della pittura. A collection of texts by Giancarlo Testori concerning Giancarlo Vitali artworks. Itaca publishing, 2003.
- D’Après. Preface by Giuliano Collina, review by Giovanni Testori. Itaca publishing, 2001.
- Il paese del pittore. Review by Marco Fragonara, a poem by Tonino Guerra along with a text by Andrea Vitali. DeAgostini Rizzoli, 2000.
- Lunario Minimo. Preface by Ludovico Pratesi, DeAgostini Rizzoli publishing, 2000.
- Le stagioni della vita. Review by Domenico Montalto. Itaca publishing, 1999.
- La Memoria Sottile. Texts by Tiziana Rota and Marco Carminati and poems by Valerio Magrelli. Itaca publishing, 1997.
- Giancarlo Vitali. Reviews by Marco Goldin and Marco Vallora. Electa, 1996.
- Catalogo generale dell’opera incisa. Curated by Paolo Bellini (The onliest Italian who contributed to the Illustrated Bartsch). Bellinzona publishing – Linati – Stefanoni, 1994.
- Le forme del tempo. Introduction by Alberto Longatti. Bellinzona publishing, 1991.
- La famiglia dei ritratti. Review by Giovanni Testori. Electa, 1987.
- Giancarlo Vitali. Curated by Giovanni Testori. La Compagnia del Disegno publishing - Milan, 1985.
Editions
Engravings Portfolios
Suovetaurilia, counting 6 engravings. Text by Carlo Bertelli, Itaca publishing – Milan 2008. Abitare, edited by the Lecco Province Builders Association, counting 6 engravings. Text by Mario Botta, 2006. Omaggio al cantiere, edited by the Lecco Province Builders Association, counting 5 engravings. Text By Mario Sangiorgio, 2004. Concerto, 8 engravings along with 8 poems by Giancarlo Consonni, preface by Marco Vallora, 2002. Bestiario, 8 poems by Giancarlo Consonni and 8 engravings by Giancarlo Vitali, introduction by Gina Lagorio, Itaca publishing – Milan, 1999. Le forme del tempo, preface by Alberto Longatti. Bellinzona publishing, 1991. Tommaso Grossi, 2 engravings along with 2 poems. Preface by Gianfranco Scotti. Lions Club, 1991. Il mio museo quotidiano, presented by Testori and printed by Bandini. Bellinzona publishing, 1985. Poesie per il Trittico del toro, 3 poems by Testori accompanied with an engraving by Giancarlo Vitali. La Compagnia del Disegno publishing, 1985. Il mio paese del lago, presented by Gianni Brera and printed by Giorgio Upiglio. Bellinzona publishing, 1982.
Artist’s Books
Maschere, by Henri de Régnier counting 2 original etchings. Attorno al tavolo, 11 engravings and 9 poems by Franco Loi. Tavolo Rosso – Stamperia Albicocco publishing – Udine, 2003. Guardare i Tramonti, a poem by Tonino Guerra along with 9 engravings by Vitali. Gibralfaro publishing, Verona 2000.