Giovanni Talarico, born in 1963, is an internationally known Italian artist who divides his time between painting and sculpting. He is living and working in his birthplace in Scigliano, Italy.
He began his training at a young age and is mostly an autodidact artist, although he attended Liceo Artistico in Cosenza and participated in courses in sculpture at the Fine Arts Academy in Florence where he specialized in working in marble and bronze.
Giovanni Talarico’s art career took off in 1990 when he was awarded the silver plaque at Premio Arte 1990, Mondadori in Milan.
Since then he has participated in an abundance of solo- and group exhibitions, cultural events as well as art competitions, both in Italy and internationally, where he has received further awards.
Giovanni Talarico’s work is found in museums and public places in Italy and internationally, and his art is collected worldwide.
In his works Giovanni uses a variety of materials, both traditional ones such as marble, granite and various stones, bronze and wood, and newer technology which offers resins and special metals and alloys containing of e.g. lead, aluminum, copper and bronze.
All of the materials offer their own distinct characters and stimuli which is not transferrable to others.
Many times the material used is used in its untreated form as Giovanni thinks the work itself is growing and maturing with time as the material changes character, e.g. lead and aluminum are getting duller with age.
The evolution of Giovanni’s work is intertwined with his awareness of man’s fragility in a time and life so much focused on consumerism and commercialization.
Man, fragile like the most precious and delicate goods can be “transformed” into a container, a packaging to be handled with care. So in many of his work, words like “fragile” and “do not turn upside down” can be found. As man, these delicate containers, journey through life barcodes emerge, as a mark or sign that the proper goods are laid in the proper containers and are readily identified. These barcodes are often in full display in his work and at times almost hidden.
Important solo exhibitions:
Contenitori e Contenuti / Containers and Contents, Galleria Edilmercato, Turin, Italy 2005
Banca Popolare di Milano, Milan, Italy 1997
Villa Aldrovandi Mazzacorati, Bologna, Italy 1995
Scultura e grafica / Sculture and graphics, Rogliano, Italy 1995
Personale per due artisti / Solo for two artists, Sala A. Cefaly Palazzo della Provincia, Catanzaro, Italy 1993
Club Grafica d’Autore, Cosenza, Italy 1992
Galleria L’Enigma, Soveria Mannelli, Italy 1992
Important group exhibitions:
de freo gallery, Gothenburg, Sweden and Pietrasanta, Italy, 2009 & 2010
Biennal of Contemporary Art Magna Grecia 2009, San Demetrio Corone, Italy 2009
Calabria 2009. Painting Recognition, Galleria d’Arte Provinciale “Santa Chiara”, Cosenza, Italy 2009
Italian Lifestyle di Sharjah / Italian Lifestyle of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates 2007
Biennal of Sacred Art, Cosenza, Italy 2006
Riparte, 11°anno / Starting again, 11th year, International Hotel Art Fair, Rome, Italy 2006
Uno. I passi della fotografia dai primordi al contemporaneo /
One. Photography: from its origins to the present, Galleria Zuma, Turin, Italy 2005
The Artcard, Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah,United Arab Emirates, 2005
Art in progress, Palazzo Marini, Lecce, Italy 2005
VI Biennale di Arte Contemporanea / VI Biennal of Contemporary Art, Monterosso Calabro, Italy 2003
Galleria La Telaccia, Turin, Italy 2003
Biblioteca Comunale / Public Library, Stalettì, Italy 2002
Museo Comunale / Public Museum, Praia a Mare, Italy 1999
Cetraro, Italy 1999
42° Festival di Spoleto, Rassegna d’Arte Contemporeanea /42nd Festival of Spoleto, Contemporary Art Exhibition, Spoleto, Italy 1999
Galleria La Bussola, Cosenza, Italy 1998
Future Show, Bologna, Italy 1998
Galleria 9 Colonne, Bologna, Italy 1997
1a Biennale d’Arte / 1st Art Biennale, Flash Art Museum, Trevi, Italy 1997
Artisti Calabresi / Calabrian Artists, Gioia Tauro, Italy 1997
Artisti Calabresi / Calabrian Artists, Antibes, France 1997
Castell’Arquato, Italy 1997
Galleria d’Ars, Milan, Italy 1997
Arte Fiera, Bologna, Italy 1996
Rassegna internazionale “Art New 2000”/ “Art New 2000” International Exhibition, Galleria Il Collezionista, Tarquinia, Italy 1994
Galleria Il Graffio, Cosenza, Italy 1994
Carrier Art Gallery, Columbus Centre, Toronto, Canada 1992
Natale sotto i portici / Christmas under the arcades, Vicenza, Italy 1991
Museo d’Arte Popolare / Museum of Popular Art, Palmi, Italy 1991
Scultura / Sculpture, Centro Culturale “La Filanda”, Verano Brianza, Italy 1990
Finarte, Rome, Italy 1990
Finarte, Milan, Italy 1990
Maggio Fiorito / May in bloom, Bologna, Italy 1990
Progetto Culturà ‘89 Premio Mattia Preti / Cultural Project ‘89 Mattia Preti Prize, Taverna, Italy 1989
Luce Forma Colore / Light Form Colour, Taormina, Italy 1985
Collina Verde, 1a edizione / Green Hill, 1st edition, Scigliano, Italy 1984
Giovani artisti / Young Artists, Teatro Rendano, Cosenza, Italy 1981
Competitions:
Extempore Internazionale di scultura su legno / International Extempore Wood Sculpture, Belluno, Italy 2009
Munix Web Art, Tra i vincitori sezione scultura / Among the winners, category: sculpture
10° Municipio, Rome, Italy 2007
2° Simposio Internazionale di Scultura / 2nd International Sculpture Symposium, Fluhli, Switzerland 2007
Concorso Bondarte 2004, 1° premio / Competition Bondarte 2004, 1st prize, Borgata Bonda, Mezzana Mortigliengo, Italy 2004
Legno e sensazioni, 6a edizione / Wood and sensations, 6th edition, Ossana, Italy 2003
Vincitore dell’opera per la Capitaneria di Porto di Trapani / Winner of art competition for a work at Trapani harbourmaster’s office, Trapani, Italy 2002
Concorso Internazionale su legno / International Wood Sculpture Competition, Madonna di Campiglio, Italy 1998
5º Simposio di scultura su legno / 5th Wood Sculpture Symposium, Auronzo di Cadore, Italy 1994
Primo Premio Europa Unita / United Europe First Prize, Sassari, Italy 1993
Premio Pandosia, 1º premio / Pandosia Prize, 1st prize, Cosenza, Italy 1992
Premio Arte 1990, targa d’argento / Art Prize 1990, silver plaque, Mondadori, Milan, Italy 1990
10º Concorso Internazionale di scultura su legno /10th International Wood Sculpture Competition, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy 1990
2º Simposio Internazionale di scultura su legno /2nd International Wood Sculpture Symposium, Auronzo di Cadore, Italy 1990
3º Simposio Internazionale di scultura su legno /3rd International Wood Sculpture Symposium, Girifalco, Italy 1989
Premio Arte 1988 / Art Prize 1988 Mondadori, Milan, Italy 1988
Permanent works:
Scultura in legno/Sculpture in wood, Gefu Oberle Gruppe, Arisdorf, Switzerland
Scultura in acciaio inox e vetro / Stainless steel and glass sculpture, Doppleschwand, Lucerne, Switzerland
Targa commemorativa in bronzo / Bronze commemorative plaque, Banca di Cosenza, Cosenza, Italy
Installazione / Installation Abitazione privata, Buonvicino, Italy
Scultura commemorativa per l’economista Giorgio Gagliani / Memorial sculpture for the economist Giorgio Gagliani, Biblioteca Interdipartimentale, Università della Calabria, Cosenza, Italy
Installazione / Installation Condominio, Bussoleno, Italy
Installazione “Larve” / Installation “Larve” Galleria d’Arte Contemporanea all’aperto, Borgata Bonda, Mezzana Mortigliengo, Italy
Scultura in bronzo “La Mattanza” / Bronze sculpture “La Mattanza” Capitaneria di Porto, Trapani, Italy
Scultura commemorativa per l’economista Ezio Tarantelli / Memorial sculpture for the economist Ezio Tarantelli, Biblioteca Interdipartimentale Università della Calabria, Cosenza, Italy
Portoni in bronzo / Bronze portals, Cattedrale S. Nicola di Mira, Lungro, Italy
Altare e ambone / Altar and rostrum, Chiesa S. Michele Arcangelo, S. Sisto dei Valdesi, Italy
Altorilievo / High-relief, Chiesa S. Elena, Sant’Agata d’Esaro, Italy
Scultura / Sculpture, Museo Comunale, Praia a Mare, Italy
Scultura / Sculpture, Banca Popolare di Milano, Milan, Italy
Installazione / Installation, Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Castel S. Piero, Italy
Scultura / Sculpture, Ministero degli Interni, Rome, Italy
Scultura / Sculpture, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Scultura / Sculpture, Santuario S. Francesco di Paola, Paola, Italy
Scultura / Sculpture, Sede Aism di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Monumento commemorativo / Commemorative Monument, Caserma della Finanza “Soveria Mannelli” Catanzaro, Italy
Altare ligneo / Wood altar, Chiesa S. Lucia, Scigliano, Italy
Scultura “I diritti civili” / Sculpture “I diritti civili”, Piazza Carmine Golia, Scigliano, Italy
