Daniele Bongiovanni wrote his master's thesis at the Academy of Fine Arts of Palermo on Oskar Kokoschka's expressionism. The choice of subject was revealing: like Kokoschka, Bongiovanni is drawn to the charged boundary between figuration and emotional dissolution, to paintings where the image holds together just long enough to convey something about the human body before the brushwork threatens to pull it apart.
Key facts
- Born
- 1986, Italian[1]
- Wikipedia
- View article
Biography
Born in Palermo on 11 April 1986[1], Bongiovanni took a first degree and then a master's with honours at the Palermo academy, also completing research on the concept of deconstruction in Western painting from the sixteenth to the twentieth century. He went on to hold the Chair of Artistic Anatomy at the Academy of Fine Arts of Macerata and has contributed to research programmes at King's College London, Liverpool John Moores University, Queen Mary University of London, and the University of Sussex, among others. His practice moves between Italy and the United States.
His paintings are most readily identified by their white skies: broad, luminous expanses that press down on figures and landscapes with an unspecific atmospheric weight. The works alternate between gestural neo-expressionism and looser informal approaches, applying hazy pastel tones and strokes of luminescence to investigate what he describes as natural space and the human figure. An oil series was exhibited at the Venice Biennale; a solo show titled Epoch, covering work from 2016 to 2020, appeared at The Wall Space Gallery in Falkirk, Scotland in June 2020.
Timeline
- 1986Born in Palermo on 11 April.
- 2009Completed a first degree at the Academy of Fine Arts of Palermo.
- 2011Wrote his master's thesis at the Academy of Fine Arts of Palermo on Oskar Kokoschka's expressionism.
- 2011Completed a master's degree with honours at the Palermo academy, also completing research on deconstruction in Western painting.
- 2016Began the period of work later covered in the 'Epoch' exhibition.
- 2020Held a solo show titled 'Epoch', covering work from 2016 to 2020, at The Wall Space Gallery in Falkirk, Scotland in June.
- 2020Exhibited an oil series at the Venice Biennale.
- 2020Held the Chair of Artistic Anatomy at the Academy of Fine Arts of Macerata.
Notable Works
Tap to view larger.
Related Artists
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Daniele Bongiovanni known for?
Daniele Bongiovanni is known for paintings readily identified by their white skies. These broad, luminous expanses press down on figures and landscapes with an unspecific atmospheric weight. His oil series was exhibited at the Venice Biennale, and a solo show titled Epoch appeared at The Wall Space Gallery in Falkirk, Scotland, in June 2020.Who was Daniele Bongiovanni?
Daniele Bongiovanni was born in Palermo on 11 April 1986[1]. He completed degrees at the Palermo academy and also researched deconstruction in Western painting. Bongiovanni held the Chair of Artistic Anatomy at the Academy of Fine Arts of Macerata and has contributed to research programmes at several universities.What was Daniele Bongiovanni's art style?
Daniele Bongiovanni's art alternates between gestural neo-expressionism and looser informal approaches. He applies hazy pastel tones and strokes of luminescence to investigate what he describes as natural space and the human figure. Like Oskar Kokoschka, he is drawn to the charged boundary between figuration and emotional dissolution.When was Daniele Bongiovanni born?
Daniele Bongiovanni was born in 1986[1].
Sources
Editorial draws on the following primary and tertiary references for Daniele Bongiovanni.
- [1] wikipedia Wikipedia: Daniele Bongiovanni Used for: biography, birth dates, death dates, identifiers, movement attribution, nationality.
- [2] book Graham-Dixon, Andrew, Caravaggio : a life sacred and profane Used for: biography.
- [3] book Gianlorenzo Bernini: new aspects of his art and thought : a commemorative volume Used for: biography.
- [4] book Lilian H. Zirpolo, Historical Dictionary of Baroque Art and Architecture Used for: biography.
- [5] book Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.), The Age of Caravaggio Used for: biography.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-05-31. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
Editorial standardsMethodologyCorrectionsAI disclosureAbout the editorial teamCitation ledger