OLIVIA PEGORARO - Italy

CONTACTS: :pegoraro.olivia.2@gmail.com
WEBSITES: http://www.oliviapegoraro.beepworld.it http://www.oliviapegoraro.com

Lost identity

Mirea

etching, soft varnish and drypoint -Sheet cm 100 x 70

Drypoint - Sheet cm 100 x 70

New abstractions

November

drypoint - Sheet 50 x 35 cm

etching and drypoint - Sheet cm 50x70

Untitled

April

drypoint - Sheet cm 100 x 70

etching and drypoint- Sheet cm 50 x 70

Her Biography

OLIVIA PEGORARO, a Vicenza-based engraver and painter, graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice in 1999, and obtained the qualification of “engraver-printer” in 2002 at the International School and Foundation “Il Bisonte”, where she was awarded a scholarship in her 2nd year, under the guidance of Rodolfo Ceccotti.

At just seventeen she began exhibiting and from 1996 to today she has engraved and printed on her own more than 260 plates. She lives and works in Piovene Rocchette (VI).

Critical Review

Olivia Pegoraro’s artistic path focuses on reflection around the individual and, in particular, the face. To the face Olivia has devoted almost all of her production over the last ten years which, in a significantly representative way, is exhibited here.

It is a journey into the individual, into their suggestions and emotions, but it is also a path in graphic art, which Olivia Pegoraro manages to place at the service of representation. Mark and technique are not ends in themselves, but a means to bring out the inner dimension, in their alternation of light and dark, roughness and softness, solids and voids, almost as if the subject were born mute and only through the mark could it express itself.

Emotional dimension and graphic dimension therefore form an inseparable whole. And just as feeling strikes man with clarity, yet at the same time is enriched with nuances and uncertainties, so the mark, through the use of technique, is articulated in its many facets.

Marco Gobbato for the solo show “Between Light and Dark” at the Museo della Stampa in Soncino (CR) in 2019.

Olivia Pegoraro, I believe I can say, belongs to that category of artists wholly absorbed in the commitment and development of their own research and work, fully involved, without reserve, both in aesthetic experiences and in those of life, as well as in the emotions and contradictions that arise from them.

What strikes one most in the work of this engraver is precisely the assumption of a commitment: to develop every idea to its logical and natural conclusion, to exhaust it before turning to another. This analysis, moreover, she pursues with a tight and meticulous logic. This need, among other things, also spurs the artist’s temperament toward impatience with the formal schemes she has reached. This young author, in fact, has clear ideas. When she begins a discourse, as I have already pointed out, she carries it forward with a close dialectic, so that her graphic work becomes a true gymnastics of the mind with subtle implications, particularly elaborate, yet always stimulating even when meanings thicken and become complicated in an intriguing tangle of signs. In the most recent period of her research, however, the mark has lightened, gradually leaving more room for experimentation and creativity, which end up taking over. Her work then becomes a search certainly strengthened by imagination and fantasy that establishes a precise balance with formal reasons, responding to the artist’s own expressive urgency.

A reflection, therefore, that starts from the mark to arrive, only in the last instance, at the image; this, then, in the course of its development, frees itself from every narrative and descriptive aspect, reaching a creative area of abstract extraction. The Vicenza artist, moreover—and this cannot escape those who know how to see—is never prey to the technical procedure, but always controls it, infusing it with an open and totally sincere sensitivity; and in the search for a way to express the unspoken of emotions, everything is brought back to a deep dimension, to a supporting structure that through art finds its inner harmony again.

Olivia Pegoraro’s work, therefore, can be read from different and always valid angles; its fundamental characteristic is that it presents itself not as something absolute, an untouchable postulate, but rather as the possibility of always opening up new individual occasions; it imposes nothing but proposes, and some forms of this research, some figures or shapes, seem to achieve a persistence that goes beyond the tensions of language, revealing themselves as constants of an authentic poetics.

Vitaliano Angelini on the occasion of the solo show at the F. Barocci Gallery located in the Collegio Raffaello in Urbino in 2014.

[…] A graphic process that has come to be characterized in the progressive forming and maturing of the intuitive sensitivity of a texture carried in the variation of successive reactive frequencies, to verify both the determining, almost sudden, of the appearing, the arising, lightning-fast, of the sharp penetrative quality of a mark stretched in the continuity of the potential violence of dynamics, incisive projections of extraordinary freshness, full of immediacy and momentum, expanded into spaces of broad breath and openness, and, on the contrary, its own equally sudden, almost dramatic, violent contraction in subsequent values, plastic and harsh deepening, moved in the acutes of drypoint, or, again, in the subtler and more complex travail of the fertilization of etching, the maturing of a more material, fluid structure, stirred in the hidden, secret pulsing of a thousand moods echoing ancient, distant memories.

[…] of her engraved pages so strongly permeated by an extraordinary emotional color, not in reality requiring any further support for a broader understanding of their most sustaining values, even if I am glad, with these hurried lines, to bear witness to my friendship and, for what it is worth, to reaffirm to her my judgment of its full cultural validity.

Giorgio Trentin on the occasion of the solo show “Olivia Pegoraro—Engravings” at the Il Bisonte Gallery in Florence in 2004. Giorgio Trentin for the solo show “The Mark and Emotion” at the Museo della Stampa in Soncino (CR) in 2007-2008.

Your Resume

Among the solo exhibitions include:

2019 Soncino (CR) - Print Museum - Printers’ House - "Between Light and Dark" curated by Marco Gobbato; 2018 Poppi (AR) – Cultural Club Le Stanze – “Lights and Shadows” with presentation by Giacomo Giovannetti. Exhibition linked to winning the 1st La Ginestra Prize in the graphics section; 2016 Este (PD) – La Medusa Gallery – “20 Years of Engraving: Faces, Figures and Inner Landscapes” curated by Davide Piazza; 2015 Thiene (VI) – Modern Art Gallery – “Engraved Works 1996-2015” curated by Rodolfo Ceccotti and Davide Piazza; 2014 - Urbino – F. Barocci Gallery, Collegio Raffaello – “Not Only Gazes”. Curated by Vitaliano Angelini; 2009 - Bassano (VI) – “Towards the Visible” Chiesetta dell’Angelo curated by Gianfranco Quaresimin; Preganziol (TV) – “Olivia Pegoraro” Emauart curated by Angelo De Martin and Piergiorgio Torresan; 2007-2008 Soncino (CR) Print Museum - Printers’ House – “The Sign and Emotion” curated by Giorgio Trentin, Rodolfo Ceccotti, Lucia Bassignana, Gianfranco Quaresimin and Chiara Giacomello; 2004 Florence – “Olivia Pegoraro – Engravings” Gallery

“Il Bisonte” curated by Giorgio Trentin and Rodolfo Ceccotti; Bassano (VI) “Olivia Pegoraro - Engravings” Galleria Incontri Scrimin curated by Giorgio Trentin and Gianfranco Quaresimin.

Among the many group exhibitions he has taken part in in Italy and abroad, the following are worth noting:

2019 - Douro, Portugal - “4th Global Print of Douro". Curated by Nuno Canelas; Shenzhen, China - Guanlan China Printmaking Museum “Resonance between Civilizations - Contemporary Italian Prints on show in China". Curated by Antonio L. Rossetto;

Treviso – Casa dei Carraresi Museum - "Artistic movement into Casa dei Carraresi" Curated by "RosSso Veneziano"; Paese (TV) - Miniprint Exchange. Curated by Valeria Bertesina. 2018 – 2019 Hunibach, Switzerland – Galerie L’Atelier “'Art Paper International.

2018 - Perugia – Palazzo della Penna - 5th Diego Donati Graphic Biennial - Joint 3rd Prize; – Douro, Portugal - 9th Douro International Graphic Biennial. Curated by Nuno Canelas; 2018 - Bitola, Macedonia - Triennial Museum – “9th Bitola International Triennial of Graphic Art”. Participation in both large- and small-format sections, curated by Vlado Goreski;

- Bonn-Königswinter, Cologne, Weissenthurm and Kobern-Gondorf, Germany “4th Enter into Art”, travelling exhibition of small-format graphic works. Curated by Kurt Ries and Gabriele Walter; Vicenza, Caldogno (VI), Santiago de Chile – QUBI Gallery, Villa Caldogno and the hall of the Providencia Sculpture Park “Mirror face to face 3 Italian and Chilean artists in comparison”. Curated by Valeria Bertesina;

Trieste and Caerano S.Marco (TV) – Stelio Crise Library and Villa Benzi – “Engraved Dreams – Contemporary Italian Printmaking and a tribute to Fernando Eandi”. 2017- 2018 - Florence – Palazzo della Regione Toscana –Exhibition of the winners of the La Ginestra Prize – winner of the 1st prize in the graphics section; Este (PD)- Old Former Fish Market – “25 years of Medusa”. 2017 - Castello di Godego (TV) – Villa Priuli – “Contemporary graphic experiences – Works donated to the Printmaking Biennial Sguardo sull’Incisione; Bassano del Grappa (VI) – Civic Museum – “5th biennial of printmaking and contemporary graphics – established artists section”.

2016-2017 - Bucharest (Romania), BIPB 2016, Bucharest Print Biennial; - Perugia, “Continuity - IV Biennial of Contemporary Graphics Diego Donati Award”, Diego Donati Gallery; 2016 - Bitola (Macedonia), Vicenza and Vas (BL), “Mirror face to face 2” Italian and Macedonian artists in comparison - travelling exhibition. Gallery of the Museum of the Bitola Triennial, Vicenza at La Vigna Library - Casa Gallo by C. Scarpa, former paper mill of Vas (BL); - Cologne, Nassau and Diez (Germany), “2nd International miniprint “Enter into art”, travelling exhibition of small-format prints, Kulturbunker Koln- Mulheim, “Leifheit-Haus” cultural center and “Haus Eberhard”;

Gorizia, “Bayonets and Drypoints—Printmaking, one hundred years after Anselmo Bucci”, Biblioteca Statale Isontina; Padua, “CATS–Arte Padova”, at Galleria Il Melograno, Livorno.
2015-2016 - Schio (VI), “Di carta/ Papermade 2nd edition—Ethics/Aesthetics—International Biennial of Paper Works”, Palazzo Fogazzaro.
2015 -Turin, “Contemporary printmaking in the Three Venezie”, Biblioteca Nazionale Universitaria; Bagnacavallo (RA), “1st Giuseppe Maestri Printmaking Biennial—Prize for Young Printmakers”, Museo Civico delle Cappuccine; Bitola (Macedonia) - 8th International Triennial of Graphic Art of Bitola, Bitola Triennial Museum. Wins 2nd Prize ex aequo.
2014 - Rome, “Modern and Contemporary artist”, Galleria L’Agostiniana; Vicenza, IV Ex Libris Palladio - The Arts box- Winner of the La Medusa Prize; Bologna, “Carvings and bites. Contemporary Italian printmaking”, Complesso del Baraccano; 2013 - Rome, “Passion-fire”, Sinergy art studio; - Florence “A sea of ink” - The Bisonte generation, Accademia delle arti del disegno; - Florence, “Michelangelo Prize”, Galleria Gadarte; - Vicenza, “Traces”, Biblioteca la Vigna- Casa Gallo by C. Scarpa. 2012-2013 - Catania, Noto, Bucharest and Valencia, “New borders”. Touring exhibition. GAM “Le Ciminiere” Catania. “GAN” Noto. Valencia. Bucharest; - Perugia. “P. Donati Prize”, Rocca Paolina.

2012 – Vicenza, “The Engraved World”, Art U' Gallery; Vicenza. “Me and the City”, La Vigna Library – Casa Gallo by C. Scarpa; - Chieri (TO), group show of members of the cultural association “Il Quadrato”, Il Quadrato Gallery.
2011 – Milan, “Axa Competition - Art for the Environment”, Cassina de’ Pecchi; - Cavaion Veronese (VR), 5th National Engraving Biennial “Giuseppe Polanschi”, Corte Torcolo; Chieri (TO), group show of members of the cultural association “Il Quadrato”, Il Quadrato Gallery; Rome, “Dance with Art”, Spaziottagoni Gallery; - Rome, “Mail Art for Lebanon”, Spaziottagoni Gallery.
2010 Brescia, Angelini Prize - Biennial, Academy of Fine Arts of Brescia; - Chieri (TO), group show of members of the cultural association “Il Quadrato”, Il Quadrato Gallery; - Vicenza, “Francis, Holy Man”, Cloister of S. Lorenzo. 2009 - Bassano del Grappa, “Ten Engravers from Vicenza”, Incontri Scrimin Gallery; - Motta di Livenza (TV), “Signum - engraving between history and modernity”, Palazzo La Loggia; - Porto (Portugal), Matriz. “1st Edition of Postal Engraving”, Matriz Gallery; - Sofia (Bulgaria), “8th Lessedra World Art Print Annual. Mini print '09”, Lessedra Gallery.

2008- 2009 - Chieri (TO), group show of members of the cultural association “Il Quadrato”, Galleria II Quadrato; - Castello di Godego (TV), “A Look at Printmaking – 3rd Review of Contemporary Engravers”. Villa Priuli - Barco Mocenigo; - Bassano del Grappa (VI) “1st Biennial of Contemporary Printmaking, City of Bassano”. Palazzo Sturm-Remondini Museum; 2008- Treviso, “Venice and the Poets”, Galleria Aqua Fortis; - Bagnacavallo (RA), included in the 5th Directory of Italian Engravers, cultural center “Le Cappuccine”.

2007 - Loc. Parlesca (PG), “8th Biennial Contemporary Art Prize Torre Strozzi”, Torre Strozzi; - Mirano (VE), Contemporary Biennial Premio Tiepolo, Villa Morosini; - Palermo, “Passage to the South”, European Prize for Printmaking Totò Bonanno, Palazzo Ziino. Honourable mention; - S. Croce sull’Arno (PI), Premio S. Croce, Villa Pacchiani.
2006 - Chamalières (France), 7th World Triennial of Small-Format Prints, Amac.

2005 – Krakow, “Italian Printmaking under 35”, Italian Cultural Institute; - Cremona, “Italian Printmaking under 35”, Galleria L’Arte e il torchio; - Gaiarine (TV), Biennial of Italian Printmaking, Villa Altan; Venice, “Open Studios”, 51st Venice Biennale, Academy of Fine Arts; - Venice, “Backlight”, 51st Venice Biennale, Italy Pavilion.
2004 - Bagnacavallo (RA), Repertory of Italian Printmakers; - Campobasso, 3rd Biennial of Contemporary Printmaking, invited; - Mirano (VE), Biennial of Italian Printmaking, “Tiepolo Prize”, Villa Morosini.
2003- Chamalieres (France), 6th World Triennial of Small-Format Prints, Amac; - Città di Castello (PG), “Artea”. National Art Competition – steal a ray of sunshine for winter. Winner of the 1st Prize; - Florence, “Il Bisonte at the Uffizi”, S. Pier Scheraggio Rooms in the Uffizi Gallery. 2001 - Acqui Terme, Ovada (AL), 5th European Biennial for Printmaking; - Venice and Madrid, “Canali/Canales”, Villa XXV Aprile and Complutense University of Madrid. 2000 – Rome, Contemporary Art Biennial “Jubilaeum 2000” and Rome University of Fine Arts. Mentioned. 1998 - Mirano (VE) “Enigmas of the Matrix”, 2nd edition, Villa Morosini. 1997 – Venice, “Young Artists of the Academy”, Venice Academy of Fine Arts; - Mirano (VE), “Enigmas of the Matrix”, 1st edition, Villa Morosini.

Grafica d’arte, in March 2019, dedicated its cover and the article “The Thousand Faces of Olivia Pegoraro”, edited by Chiara Rampoldi in L’Occhio del segno. She is featured in the Sartori Catalogues 2018 and 2020. Many of her works are part of public and private collections.

He was a member of the Associazione Incisori Veneti and the cultural association and gallery “Il Quadrato” in Chieri (TO).

She has been a member since the founding of the National Association of Contemporary Engravers.

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