Roberto Mondani

Roberto Mondani was born in Rome in 1957. A self-taught painter and sculptor, he began his artistic journey with a focus on landscape and figurative studies. However, over time, he moved toward a more original approach to painting, incorporating materials like plastics and sand in various thicknesses, applied to supports such as wood, plywood, and canvas. This marked a shift in his work, as he began exploring new textures and dimensions. His sculptures, too, reflect this same intensity and emotional tension. Whether in marble or other types of stone, his works convey a strong sense of incisiveness. Over the years, Mondani has participated in a number of group exhibitions both in Italy and abroad, in addition to holding several solo shows. His recent notable exhibitions include Italianart in Helsinki in the summer of 2007, the Istanbul Fair in November 2007, and the Reggio Emilia Fair later that same year. He also took part in exhibitions in Copenhagen and returned to Istanbul in 2008. More recently, his work was featured in the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale, and he has a permanent exhibition at the Accademia Maison D’Art in Padova. Confronting the works of Roberto Mondani, one is immersed in a dimension that transcends reality, suspended in an atmosphere that almost touches the metaphysical. His creations are not merely images, but gateways to a world where the tangible gives way to the intangible, where every form and detail seem to tell stories beyond sensory perception. Mondani’s painting, deeply embedded with an inner dimension, has the power to touch the emotions of its viewers, revealing dreamlike landscapes and visions that intertwine the real with the imagined, urging the observer to reflect on the boundary between dream and reality. His landscapes, in particular, evoke a magical realism, with symbolism emerging clearly. The hills and forms that populate his canvases seem to move through undefined spaces, where the infinite merges with the absolute. His art recalls the allure of De Chirico but blends it with a unique and personal interpretation. The figures, which at times resemble tribal masks or evoke distant worlds, tell stories of impossible transformations and incredible magic. It is art that does not simply represent reality, but reinterprets it, transporting it to a utopian, almost surreal dimension. Mondani’s symbolism is not limited to simple allegory but serves as a lens through which each work invites the viewer to look beyond the surface. Every form, every color, every figure seems to conceal a deeper meaning, as if the artist is trying to reveal the mystery of the invisible—something we cannot grasp, yet somehow feel intimately familiar. In this sense, his works become a vehicle for a psychological and emotional journey that awakens in viewers a deep connection with the collective unconscious. Through his visual language, Mondani leads us into a world of dreams and mystery, where each work is an invitation to surrender to beauty and suggestion. Art becomes a total experience, an act of surrender that compels us to reflect on eternity and the infinite, offering a new vision of Italian art history that becomes universal in its ability to speak directly and profoundly to the human soul.