Bartolomeo Gatto, born in Moio della Civitella on August 25th 1938, is an italian artist, painter and sculptor.
His first artworks were inspired by his homeland, the Cilento. The colours are vibrant, the earth is barren and dry, shapes are simple and straight just local people are. In the 70’s “Bambini” (Children) pictorial cycle started. It is characterized by brilliant and firm colours of children and planets, in which metaphysical and dreamlike skies stand out. Since 80’s Gatto enlived his canvas: Pietre Amanti (Loving Stones) have a vibrant skin, warm and sensible. There are feelings on his paintings and his rocks are able to create big visual poems. The transition from canvas to matter is natural.
[vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”26207″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”26213″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner]The sculpures, initially inspired by the Pietre Amanti (Loving Stones), were made out of bronze, wood and stone. Many big stone sculptures are installed in public spaces. In 2009 he produced the bronze sculpture “Communication”: the winner prize of Amalfi Media Award (now Biagio Agnes Award).
[vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”26205″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″]Bartolomeo Gatto had planned and implemented more than 200 solo exhibitions in private and public spaces, among others National Archeological Museum in Paestum, Palazzo dei Diamantiin Ferrara, Villa Visconti Borromeo Arese Litta in Lainate (Milano), Palazzo Barberini in Roma, Arechi’s Castle in Salerno, Italian Cultural institutes in New York, San Francisco and Stuttgard.
Art critics, such as Pierre Restany and Everardo Dalla Noce, approached him to Jackson Pollock, Kandinsky, Soutine.
“In Sardinia Gatto catches from the rocks (“stones”) the sense of the continuity of creation. Continuity which is life, participation, then love. And in the post-Enlightenment philosophy this sole conception of poetry can find a place.” (Everardo Dalla Noce).
“To humanize the mineral universe in order to make life in itself and for itself more present. I thank Gatto for this gift: his vision is strong, powerful and attractive. His stones speak and can create big visual poems. Stone characters are our brothers in the memory, that is in the reality of our very next future, they are simply our brothers and at the same time they are our direct ancestors, they help us in seeing further, in feeling more deeply, in living better.” (Pierre Restany).
Bartolomeo Gatto lives and works in Salerno.
