How red those petals are! They are like stains of blood… on the tablecloth.
It is not wise to find symbols in everything you see. It makes life too full of fears.
It was better to say that: stains of blood… are as lovely as… rose-petals
Carmelo Bene – Salomè, 1972
About
Alessandro graduates in Set Design from the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome and for several years alternates periods of work between Rome and other European cities. In 2013, he settles in Edinburgh and remains there until 2020, the year in which he moves to Teramo, where he works as a teacher. In 2020, he founds the curatorial project Celeste, initiating the exhibition programme LAVAPIU, a showcase of contemporary art hosted in a launderette.
His research focuses on the deconstruction of iconography and collective imagery, using it as a form of criticism and analysis. Structuring his work on familiar elements such as popular songs, flags, maps, and historical material, Alessandro aims to question the architecture of social constructs, symbolism, and iconography, reconfiguring them into tools for interpreting contemporary society.
Currently he directs the curatorial project Celeste where he curated several exhibitions. His work has been exhibited in Italy, United Kingdom, Poland, Spain and in other European countries. Recent shows include: Francesco Fabbri Contemporary Art Prize, Cramum Art Prize, Villa Bagatti Valsedo, Milan; The Rise and Fall of Your Chosen Empire, Ltd Ink Corporation, Edinburgh (solo); Acies at The Number Shop, Edinburgh (solo); Refraction at 24hourswindow, Glasgow International; Whole World Working (W.W.W.) at Collective Gallery, Edinburgh.
CV
b. 1983
Education
2009 – 2011 MFA Set Design, Accademia Di Belle Arti, Rome (IT)
2004 – 2009 BA Set Design, Accademia Di Belle Arti, Rome (IT)
Solo Exhibitions
2019 The Rise and Fall of Your Chosen Empire – Ltd Ink Corporation, Edinburgh (UK)
2017 Acies – The Number Shop, Edinburgh (UK)
2016 Enough – The Number Shop, Edinburgh (UK)
2014 I’ll Be Your Mirror – Edinburgh Art Festival, Interviewroom11, Edinburgh (UK)
Group Exhibitions (Selected)
2023 Francesco Fabbri Prize – Villa Brandolini, Treviso (IT)
2022 YAG/garage Italia – YAG/garage, Pescara (IT)
2022 We Art Open – Giudecca Art District, Venezia (IT)
2021 ReA! Art Fair – Fabbrica Del Vapore, Milano (IT)
2021 Safari Of Sorts – Ltd Ink Corporation, Glasgow (UK)
2020 VAS/SSA Open – Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh (UK)
2019 Cramum Art Prize – Villa Bagatti Valsedo, Milan (IT)
2019 Utopias – Syn Festival, Summerhall, Edinburgh (UK)
2018 Hawf ‘n’ Hawf (it’s a pals act) – DOK Artist Space, Edinburgh (UK)
2018 Dozen – Edinburgh Art Festival, Embassy Gallery, Edinburgh (UK)
2018 ENUmigration Conference, Napier University, Edinburgh (UK)
2018 Refraction – Glasgow International, 24hourswindow, Glasgow (UK)
2018 Responding To The Archive – Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh (UK)
2017 Melon – Edinburgh Art Festival, The Number Shop, Edinburgh (UK)
2017 Return Flight – Federation Square Atrium, Melbourne (AU)
2016 W.W.W. (Whole World Working) – Collective Gallery, Edinburgh (UK)
2016 Goulash – Edinburgh Art Festival, The Number Shop, Edinburgh (UK)
2015 Super Market Art Fair – Stockholm (SW)
2015 Fokus video art festival – Nikolaj Kunsthal, Copenhagen (DK)
2015 Salontology – Embassy gallery, Edinburgh (UK)
2014 RSA Open – Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh (UK)
2013 Loop – Bielska Gallery BWA, Bielsko Biala (PL)
2013 International Clay Festival – Pszczyna (PL)
2012 Tempo Riflesso – Aquila (IT)
2012 Clear Cut – Centro de Iniciativas Culturales de la Universidad de Sevilla, Seville (ES)
2011 Draw The Line Festival – Campobasso (IT)
2010 Pietro Parigi Printmaking Prize – Florence (IT)
2010 Programma – Laszlo Biro Gallery, Rome (IT)
2010 Speed Date+ 20 – Academy of Fine Arts, Rome (IT)
2009 Versus – Mondo Pop Gallery, Rome (IT)
2009 Il Piatto – City Art Center, Ortisei St. Ulrich (IT)
2009 Crack! Festival – Forte Prenestino, Rome (IT)
2007 International Poster Art – Esc Atelier, Roma (IT)
Residencies, Awards and Scholarships
2023 Premio Francesco Fabbri per le Arti Contemporanee, Finalist (IT)
2020 VAS/SSA Open – Ramsay Cornish Award, Edinburgh (UK)
2019 Cramum Art Prize, Second Place, Milan (IT)
2018 Archivo de Artistas, Shortlisted, Suburbia Gallery, Granada (ES)
2013 Beyond the Time, Artist in Residence, Bielsko-Biala (PL)
2012 Murale Ovidiano, Commission Grant, Sulmona (IT)
2012 Leonardo Scholarship, Seville (ES)
2010 Renato Parigi Printmaking award, Shortlisted, Florence (IT)
2009 Honorary fellowship, Academy of Fine Arts, Graphic Art and Comics, Rome (IT)
2006 Erasmus Scholarship, Academia de Bellas Artes Granada (ES)
Publications
2023 Premio Francesco Fabbri per le Arti Contemporanee, Catalogue
2020 VAS/SSA Open – Ramsay Cornish Award, Edinburgh (UK)
2019 Cramum Art Prize, Catalogue
2018 Art Review Glasgow, Issue n°2, The Dissolution Effect, essay with Anastasia Philimonos
2017 Return Flight, publication, Going Down Swimming
2017 Satellites, catalogue, Collective Gallery
2014 I’ll Be Your Mirror, catalogue, IR11 Publications
2010 Renato Parigi Printmaking Award, Catalogue
2010 Mono, Issue n°8, Tunuè Edition
Talk
2019 Artist talk, Syn Festival, Edinburgh (UK)
2014 Manifesto of Western Happiness, Interviewroom11, Edinburgh (UK)
2013 Artist talk, Bielska Gallery BWA, Bielsko-Biala (PL)
Collections
Bielska Gallery BWA, Bielsko Biala (PL)
Collezione del Comune di Calenzano, Florence (IT)
Press
2020 VAS/SSA Open at the Royal Scottish Academy – The Herald
2019 Finalisti Premi Cramum – Finestre Sull’Arte
2018 Five Questions for Alessandro Di Massimo – Formeuniche Magazine
2014 Interview: artist Alessandro Di Massimo on new show I’ll Be Your Mirror – The List
2014 Edinburgo: un agosto fra teatro e arte – Artribune
2014 Visual Communication – Room Magazine
Memberships and Collaborations
Celeste, Co-founder, 2020 – present
Rhubaba, Studio Member, 2018 – 2020
The Number Shop, Studio Member, 2016 – 2018
Interviewroom11, Publications Coordinator 2014-2016