AGOSTINO IACURCI _Foggia, 1986

Agostino Iacurci is an Italian-born, Berlin-based artist. In his works synthetic forms and bright colours drive multiple layers of interpretation, through an essential language. This approach places his tales on the perennial threshold between innocence and artifice, serenity and catastrophe, in a magnetic tension that is the interpretive key to our very existence.

Iacurci is one of the most famous street artists in Europe. He began painting on the walls at the age of twelve and later became an illustrator. His training contributes to the determination of his unmistakable linear style. His visual language is characterized by funny characters and flat and bright colours. Through a sort of stereotyping process, Iacurci represents human figures consisting of elementary geometric shapes painted in extra-large format, either on walls or on canvas. He admits that he loves the idea of the artist as The craftsman possessing knowledge that allows him to face a wide range of problems with clarity and honesty. His practice embraces a wide range of media, including painting, mural, sculpture, drawing and installation. Iacurci combines his artworks with scenographic spaces to transform the perception of certain environments.

His work has been shown in many exhibitions, festivals and projects in Europe, USA, Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Australia, Korea, Japan and Taiwan.

Recent solo exhibitions include: Tracing Vitruvio, Musei Civici, Pesaro (2019); Gypsoteca, M77 Gallery, Milan (2018); Trompe l’oeil, Celaya Brothers Gallery, Mexico City (2017).

His monumental paintings have become the reference point for several public and private institutions such as: BBDO Headquarter, South Bank, London (2018); Yakutsk Biennale, Yakutsk (2017); Distrito Tec University, Monterrey (2016); Govind Puri Metro Station, New Delhi (2016); Istituto Mario Penna, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Puerto Rico’s Stadium, Puerto Rico (2015); Fubon Art Foundation, Taipei (2012).

Amongst the recent group shows: Talent Prize 2019, Mattatoio, Rome (2019); Graffiare il presente, Casa Testori, Novate Milanese (2018); Urban Art Biennale, Völkinger Hütte, European Centre for Art and Industrial Culture (2017); Cross the streets, Museo Macro Rome (2017); FADA, House of Madness, The Watermill Center, New York, (2016); 16° Premio Cairo, Palazzo della Permanente, Milan (2015); Codici sorgenti, Palazzo Platamone, Catania (2015); From Street to Art, Italian Cultural Institute of New York (2015).

He has developed collaborations with brands including Adidas, Apple, MailChimp, Starbucks, TBWA, Urban Outfitters, Warby Parker. He has also worked with international publishers such as Einaudi, Interni Magazine, La Repubblica, Laterza, Penguin Random House, The New Yorker.

In 2019, he was the recipient of Premio New York (2019/20) promoted by MiBACT, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Italian Cultural Institute of New York, Italian Academy – Columbia University and ISCP. Agostino Iacurci è un artista italiano che vive e lavora a Berlino.