Background
Scanavino was born in Genoa, Italy, on February 28, 1922.
1951
London, United Kingdom
Sarah Jackson and Emilio Scanavino.
Via Festa del Perdono, 7, 20122 Milano MI, Italy
University of Milan.
Emilio Scanavino.
Emilio Scanavino.
Emilio Scanavino in the studio.
Scanavino was born in Genoa, Italy, on February 28, 1922.
Emilio Scanavino started his education at the Art School Nicolò Barabino of Genoa in 1938. There he met his teacher Mario Calonghi, who had a strong influence on Scanavino’s early works. In the year 1942, he had his first exhibition at the Salone Romano of Genoa. The same year, he joined the Faculty of Architecture at Milan University.
Scanavino moved to Paris in 1947, where he had a chance to meet poets and artists such as Edouard Jaguer, Wols and Camille Bryen. Since 1948 he assimilated Cubism for which he created his personal interpretation. In the 1950s, he became a part of the Group "I sette del Numero" of the Numero Gallery in Florence, together with another famous painter Rocco Borella. In 1950 he presented his works at the 25th edition of the Venice Biennale and in 1951 at the Apollinaire Gallery of London in a joint exhibition with the sculptor Sarah Jackson.
During the stay in London Emilio Scanavino met Philip Martin, Graham Sutherland, Eduardo Paolozzi and Francis Bacon. The same year he was able to open his first studio in Milan, which was in an attic of the Foro Bonaparte. Critic Guido Ballo and gallery managers Guido Le Noci and Arturo Schwartz helped to take care of his artworks.
In 1952 he also worked at Marzotti’s Ceramic Factory in Albissola Marina, where he met a lot of artists and made friends with some of them, including Lucio Fontana, Asger Jorn, Roberto Matta, Wifredo Lam, Giuseppe Capogrossi, Sergio Dangelo, Gianni Dova, Agenore Fabbri, etc.
After his figurative start, Emilio Scanavino's artworks gradually took a Post-Cubist character. The stylization of the forms in his paintings kept growing until eventually entirely fade out in the first 1950 years works. In 1954 his work's characteristic feature started to emerge. That was the "stylized knot", which characterized all of his following works. The 1950s years he produced the most beautiful of his paintings.
He exhibited again at the 27th edition of the Venice Biennale in 1954. In 1958 he joined Venezia Biennale with his own room. The same year he signed a contract with the Naviglio Gallery directed by Carlo Cardazzo with whom he became friends and developed working relations. Then the artist moved to Milan with his family. Emilio Scanavino purchased an old house at Calice Ligure in 1962, which later became an atelier. In Milan he met Gianni Malabarba, a collector.
Suddenly, Carlo Cardazzo died and this death was a hard loss for the artist. Renato Cardazzo carried on his brother's work as an art trader and also took a great role in spreading Scanavino's art in Italy and abroad. In 1966 Scanavino exhibited again at 33rd Venice Biennale.
In 1968 Emilio Scanavino moved to his studio at Calice Ligure. A group of artists also moved there, creating a small community around the painter. In 1971 he survived a serious operation. It was a landmark in his painting. He travelled throughout Belgium, France and Germany but he remained living at Calice Ligure. From 1973 and 1974 Kunsthalle of Darmstadt held a huge antological exposition of Scanavino's works. In 1974 he also participated at Venice's Palazzo Grassi and Milan's Royal Palace.
In 1982, in spite of health problems, he kept working and exhibiting in public and private places. In 1986 he was offered to exhibit at Rome Quadriennale.
Alfabeto senza fine 7
Untitled
Untitled
Geometria malata
Untitled
Protetto a meta
Untitled
Sindone
Alfabeto senza fine
Immagini
Tramature
Proiezione
Untitled
Pittura n. 3
La larva
Le 2 meta
Il cordone ombelicale
Composizione
Scherzo ritmico I
La larva
Presenza
Untitled
Presenza
Waiting for that dumb
Quadro
Forma legata
Immovilita
Intoppo
La finestra
Stornire
In 1946 Emilio Scanavino got married to Giorgina Graglia.