Agostino
Iacurci

Agostino Iacurci, The Traveling Landscape Goes Berlin, Installation View, Robert Grunenberg, Berlin, 2024

(*1986) graduated at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome and lives and works in Bologna, Italy.

In his paintings, installations and monumental wall works, the Italian artist, born in 1986, breaks down ornamental and mythological motifs from the entire history of art and culture, from antiquity to modernity, into a colorful, luminous, geometric style. This reminds on the Italian postmodernism and magical realism – but also science fiction, horror, posthuman, speculative narratives. Iacurci has repeatedly taken botanical ornaments and decorations, hybridized them and transformed them into paintings, sculptures, stage-like installations, performances or monumental murals on the facades of private and public institutions.

Anthropomorphism, the attribution of human characteristics to animals, plants, natural forces, and non-human things, takes a dialectical turn in Iacurci’s work: Not only are plants anthropomorphized, but conversely, humans are morphed into vegetal lifeforms. At the same time, Iacurci’s artistic practice sabotages the classical hierarchies between applied art, design, fine art, and folk arts. This democratic approach is reminiscent of the revolutionary, interdisciplinary spirit of the Milanese Memphis Group in the early 1980s, as is the reduction to elementary geometric forms and the search for an iconographic visual language with high recognition value. Iacurci appropriates the art and design of Italian postmodernism, which worked with anthropomorphic forms and drew on historical periods, styles, foreign cultures from a relatively Eurocentric perspective. But he does not do this to nostalgically evoke it, but to deconstruct it in a kind of 2.0 version, as post- postmodernism for the crisis-ridden Anthropocene.
2020 Research Affiliate Fellowship at Columbia University, New York, (US)
2008/2011 Visual Arts, Academy of Fine Arts, Rome, (IT)
2024: Premio Ermanno Casoli, winner
2021 Cantica21 with the project Hortus for Centro per l’Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci, winner, Prato, (IT)
2021 Premio Termoli LXII, Architecture and Design Section, honorable mention, Termoli, (IT)
2021 ADI design index, Exhibition design, shortlisted, Milan, (IT)
2020 New York Prize, promoted by Italian Academy-Columbia University, Mibact, and MAE, winner, New York, (US)
2019 talentprize, shortlisted, Rome, (IT)
2019 Premio Argos Hippium, winner, Siponto, (IT)
2018 World’s Best-Designed Newspaper, Society for News Design, Award of Excellence, New York, (US)
2015 Premio Cairo, shortlisted, Milan, (IT)
2020 Rispoli, G., “Vivere i confini”, Arte Editoriale Mondadori, pp. 116-121
2020 Montanaro, G., “Agostino Iacurci, l’artista nomade con un’infinita sete di conoscenza”, Elle Decor Online
2019 Smarrelli, M. Paolini, B., “Tracing Vitrivio”, Boitè Editions
2019 Marini, M., “Vitruvio riletto da Iacurci”, Robinson La Repubblica, p.33
2019 Gatti, C., “Caduta libera, passato e presente in cortocircuito”, La Repubblica, p. 11
2019 Valenti, M., “A Roma, Ospiti di una speciale colazione sull’erba”, Elle Decor, Hearst Digital Media
2019 Fortesti, C., “Incover art: Agostino Iacurci”, Interni Magazine, Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, Milano, (IT)
2019 Piselli, G., “Agostino Iacurci. Tracing Vitruvio. Viaggio onirico tra le pagine del De Architectura”, ATP Diary, Art Texts Pics
2019 AA.VV., ”222 artisti emergenti su cui investire, selezionati dai più prestigiosi curatori, critici, giornalisti e gallerie d’arte”, Exibart edizioni, Roma, (IT)
2019 Capra, D. Frangi, G., “Graffiare il presente”, exhibition catalogue, Casa Testori, (IT)
2018 Camapanini, C., “Agostino Iacurci il muralista”, Arte, Editoriale Mondadori, pp. 60-66, Milan, (IT)
2018 AA.VV., “Muro, Agostino Iacurci a Longiano”, 43’ documentary, Sky Arte HD
2018 Camapanini, C., “Iacurci classico e pop colora l’antica Roma”, La Repubblica, pp. 15-16
2018 Bonuomo M., “Gypsoteca, exhibition catalogue”, M77 Gallery, Milan, (IT)
2018 Alours, A., “Agostino Iacurci between poetry and realism”, Stuart Magazine, Paris, (FR)
2017 Landes, O., “Street art contexte(s)”, Editions Alternatives, Paris, (FR)
2016 Manco, T., “Make your mark”, Thames & Hudson, pp. 144-149, London, (UK)
2016 Boshier, A., “The Swim of things”, The world of interiors, pp. 108-113, London, (UK)
2016 Van Poucke, B., “Street Art Today: The 50 Most Influential Street Artists Today”, Lanoo Books, Tielt, (BG)
2016 Castelli, S., “Segni e sogni, al di là del muro e della tela” Arte, Editoriale Mondadori, pp. 126-130, Milan, (IT)
2016 AA.VV., “Agostino Iacurci” Enciclopedia Treccani, Rome, (IT)
2016 Parmigiani S., ”Invervista ad Agostino Iacurci: solo noi autori possiamo decidere in destino di un opera”, La Repubblica
2016 AA.VV., “Agostino Iacurci”, Idn, International Designers Network, Cover + pp. 122-126
2015 Ocampo A., “Italian artist Agostino Iacurci collaborates with children for Atlanta mural”, Juxtapoz.com
2015 “Agostino Iacurci” “The Urban Contemporary Art Guide”, Graffitiart Magazine, pp. 36-37, Paris, (FR)
2015 Cheikh, M. B., “Tour Paris 13”, Albin Michel, pp. 166-167, Paris, (FR)
2015 Fierro A., “The art of Agostino Iacurci”, Joia Magazine N. 40, Santiago, Chile, (CL)
2015 AA.VV., “Public art: Agostino Iacurci” Brand Magazine 22, Sendpoints Publishing Ltd., Hong Kong, (HK)
2014 “La periferia come arte pubblica”, L’Unità, p. 21
2014 Martellini, M., “L. San Basilio, Nel quartiere dove i muri parlano”, Corriere della Sera
2014 Castellucci, E., “Roma come New York, la street art cambia il volto della città” Repubblica.it
2014 Caputo, L., “Progetto SanBa, gli artisti Liquen e Agostino Iacurci dipingono I palazzi di San Basilio: coinvolti anche I residenti”, Huffingtonpost.it
2014 “I giochi di Agostino Iacurci”, Internazionale.it
2014 “Il mondo di Agostino Iacurci”, Arte.rai.it
2014 Capozzi, M., “Agostino Iacurci, Small wheel big wheel”, intervista, exibart.com
2014 Carlino, A., “Sanba e Iacurci”, Insideart.eu
2014 Caruso, A., “La collezione Farnesina”, Insideart.eu
2014 Bucci, C.A., “Da Roma a Torino, gli street artist trasformano le periferie”, La Repubblica, p. 19
2014 Andioni, G., “Agostino Iacurci: La profondità leggera dell’illustrazione, Artribune.com
2013 Monasterolo, B., “Tour 13, l’art hors des galeries”, Le Monde.fr
2013 Carlino. A., “L’immaginario di Iacurci”, Insideart, Settembre 2013, pp. 22-23
2013 Omodeo, C., “The Colour & the shape”, VNA Magazine, issue 23, London, (UK)
2013 Romagnoli, A., “Agostino Iacurci paints a new mural in Rome”, Designartmagazine.com
2013 Falzone, F., “Ceci c’est pas une pipe: intervista ad Agostino Iacurci”, Lanciatrendvisions.com
2013 Linea Curve, AA.VV. V. 4, Linea Curve, Madrid, (SP)
2012 Voynoskaya, N. , “The Art of Agostino Iacurci”, hifructose.com
2012 Stewart, J., Street Art Stories, Mondo Bizzarro Press, Rome, (IT)
2012 Wrest, R., “Agostino Iacurci interview”, Thecitrusreport.com
2012 Falcinelli, R.,“L’uso delle immagini”, Progetto Grafico vol.21, Milan, (IT)
2012 “Rzym squattersaw i grafficiarzy”, in Architektura Murator vol. 215, Warsaw, (PL)
2011 AA.VV., “Viaggio con figure nelle fiabe italiane di Calvino”, Giannino Stoppani, Bologna, (IT)
2011 “Raccontare l’essenza”, Rolling Stones vol. 88, p. 28, Milan, (IT)
2011 Umana, A. and Iacurci A., La zampa dell’Ombrello, Orecchio acerbo, Roma, Kompas, Moscow
2011 Fairyland of Bologna Illustrations V. 9, Handsome.tex.co, LTD, Illustrators annual, pp. 10-12, Taipei, (TW)
2010 Bologna Children’s Book fair, BUP, pp. 96-97, Bologna, (IT)
2010 AA.VV., “Agostino Iacurci”, Dpi V. 132, Taipei, pp. 78-83, Taipei, (TW)
2010 edited by Pallotta, S., Urban Contest, exhibition catalogue, Drago, Rome, (IT)
2023: Artivist, Seoul, ROK
2022 ISCP (International Studio & Curatorial Program), New York, (US)
2021 Cob x Plop Residency, London, (UK)
2020 ISCP (International Studio & Curatorial Program), New York, (US)
2017 Celaya Brothers Gallery, Mexico City, (MX)
2017 Noa Noa residency, Bali, (ID)
2016 Walk and Talk, Terceira, Azores, (PT)
2015 All City Canvas Global Series, Atlanta, (US)
2024 Dry Days Tropical Nights, Botanical Garden Lorenzo Rota-GaMEC, Bergamo, (IT)
2024 The Traveling Landscape goes Berlin, Robert Grunenberg (DE)
2024 Ruinenlust, Garage Bentivoglio, Bologna, (IT)
2023 The Traveling Landscape, PDC Gallery, Los Angeles, (US)
2023 Alien Horti Picti, Robert Grunenberg, Berlin, (DE)
2023 Dry Day Tropical Nights, Palazzo Treves, Milan, (IT)
2022 Of my abstract gardening, Ex Elettrofonica, Rome, (IT)
2022 Hortus, Italian Cultural Institute, Prague, (CZ)
2019 Tracing Vitruvio, curated by Marcello Smarrelli, Musei Civici, Pesaro, (IT)
2019 Colazione sull’erba, curated by Domitilla Dardi, Cantiere Galli, Rome, (IT)
2019 Stillleben, BC Gallery, Berlin, (DE)
2018 Gypsoteca, curated by Michele Bonuomo, M77 Gallery, Milan, (IT)
2017 Trompe l’oeil, curated by Vittorio Parisi, Celaya Brothers Gallery, Mexico City, (MX)
2016 Long story short, Die Kunstagentin, Cologne, (DE)
2015 Appearance and Disappearance, Galleria Patricia Armocida, Milan, (IT)
2014 Small Wheel Big Wheel, Wunderkammern Gallery, Rome, (IT)
2025 Maybe it was magic, Miettinen Collection, Berlin, (DE)
2024 Objects Between The Lines, KNMA, New Dehli, (IN)
2024 Pensare come una montagna #2, GAMeC x Orto Botanico Lorenzo Rota, Bergamo, (IT)
2024 Supernaturale, Straperetana, Pereto, (IT)
2024 Plants II, Studio Geddes Franchetti, Rome, (IT)
2024 Doppia Firma, Villa Mozart, Milan, (IT)
2023 Next, Gowen Contemporary, Geneva, (CH)
2022 Artissima, with Ex Elettronica, Turin, (IT)
2022 Spring Open Studios, ISCP, New York, (US)
2021 West Bund Art & Design, Crossing Art Gallery, Shanghai, (CN)
Premio Termoli, Architecture and design section, MACTE, Termoli, (IT)
2019 Talent Prize 2019,Mattatoio, Rome, (IT)
Caduta Libera, curated by Velasco Vitali, CIRCOLO, Bellano, (IT)
Theriomorphism, Kreisler Gallery, Madrid, (SP)
Texas Contemporary, Celaya Brothers Gallery, Mexico City, (MX)
2018 Graffiare il presente, Casa Testori, Novate Milanese, (IT)
Zona Maco, Celaya Brothers Gallery, Mexico City, (MX)
2017 Cross the streets,Macro Museum, Rome, (IT)
UrbanArt Biennale, Weltkulturerbe Völklinger Hütte, Völklingen, (DE)
Nice to meet you, Die Kunstagentin, Cologne, (DE)
2016 FADA, The Watermill Center, New York, (US)
2015 16° Premio Cairo, Palazzo della Permanente, Milano, (IT)
Codici sorgenti, Palazzo Platamone, Catania, (IT)
2014 Artmosphere, Urban Art Biennale, Moscow, (RU)
2014 From Street to Art, curated by Simone Pallotta, Italian Cultural Institute of New York, (US)
2013 Paragone, Galerie LJ, Paris, (FR)
2013 La Tour 13, Paris, (FR)
2013 Wave Festival, Aubange, (BE)
2012-2007 Fresh Produce, Anno Domini Gallery, San Jose, (PR)
2012 Viaggio con figure nelle fiabe italiane di Calvino, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome, (IT)
2012 Un voyage illustré, Mediathèque d’Orly, (FR)
2012 Imaginary Fairy Wonderland, The Special Exhibition of Bologna Select in Kaohsiung, (TW)