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MANUEL BONFANTI
Artist/ curator
Manuel Bonfanti was born in Bergamo on January 22, 1974. Now he lives and works in Bergamo (Italy) and Kazan (Russia).
He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts “Accademia di Belli Arti di Brera” in Milan.
Attended courses Luciano Fabro and Alberto Garutti. Under the Erasmus program he studied clothing design in Finland at the Jyuvaskila Politechknic Institute, where he examined in depth the studies of Aalwar Alto, as well as the symbolism of Nordic art.
While living in Milan, during his education Manuel Bonfanti was an assistant in the gallery of Monica de Cardenas. There he had the opportunity to cooperate in the preparation and holding of art exhibitions, got acquainted with other artists, including Gabriel Orozco and Julian Opie, thus showing interest in the new dynamics of Pop Art..

He studied in depth the work of Carlo Belli.
For several years he was working on the idea of modules called “MR8”, the mosaic of Rudolf Otto, referring to the spiritual thoughts expressed by the German writer, considered the graphics and the value of commodities (for example such as packaging of goods in supermarkets) with their possible new spiritual interpretation, or simply as a meaningless aesthetic purpose.

 

In 2007, he presented his works in the gallery “27AD” (Bergamo), the exhibition was called “Mood Board”. After this exhibition he begins to be known in his hometown, because for various reasons up to this point he presented himself only outside of it.

 

In 2008 he was exhibited in the showroom “Alias Design” (Milan).

 

Since 2010 he began exhibiting in the gallery of Andrea Palmieri (Busto Arsizio).

 

In 2011 his personal exhibition is held in the National Cultural Center (Kazan). The impressive exhibition combines paintings in pop style and expressionism is based on the idea of classical Western culture and, at the same time, supports and promotes the demonstration of friendship between Italy and Russia. Symbolically this exhibition takes place in the year of friendship between Russia and Italy.

 

In 2013 Manuel Bonfanti holds an exhibition entitled “Landscape after the Crisis” at the Italian Cultural Institute in Prague. The exhibition was organized by the Business Center of Italy (Prague) and it was held specifically to demonstrate how the urban landscape of Eastern Europe had changed and mutated with the appearance of shop windows and advertising signs and Pop Art objects as well as to show how they changed the landscape and the urban classic livability. After the fall of the Berlin Wall the landscape of Eastern Europe is dramatically and violently changing, adding colors of freedom and economy. At the same time, the economic crisis destroys Europe and sets the mood of decline for an indefinite period.
In the same period the artist creates his first works, which he calls “air space”. These are impossible places, conceptually invisible objects, saturated with a representation of what Goethe called the creation of the form invisibly present in the air.
The paintings are informal, bordering between something tangible, and the place where the spirit chooses, whether it wants to manifest itself and start communicating through pictures.

 

In 2017 Manuel Bonfanti arranges another personal exhibition in the Adriano Bernaregi Museum (Bergamo). The exhibition is called “Aria delsublime” and consists of a dozen 3 meters height paintings. Also, a real decoration of the exhibition is a short film by Albert Nachi, which is called “Eyes”. The film helps to understand better the difference between our perception of “air” and what we see.
Manuel Bonfanti is also the curator of such projects as: the permanent art project “The Tube One” in the largest hospital of the native city “Papa Giovanni XXIII” and the project ArtOzone in the Ozonotherapy clinic “Comunian Multiossigen”.

ManuelBonfanti

Main Personal Exhibitions / Principali Mostre Personali

2018: Aria del Sublime, Centro Congressi Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, a cura di Giovanni Valgussa ed Enrico Brignoli.

2018: “ Arte e Criptovalute”, Museo della Scienza e della Tecnica, Milano, care of Arianna Foresti.

2018: “ We discuss art”, Consulting for Walt Disney Research Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, care of Sasha Scriber.

2018: “Nanos On”, Nano corp. AG, Zurich, Switzerland, care of Sasha Schriber.

2017; “Aria del Sublime”, Hall of Honor of the Diocesan Museum Adriano Bernareggi, Bergamo, Italy, care of Giovanni Berera / Giovanni Valagussa.

2017: “Airspace”, Interni, interior design show room, Bergamo, Italy, care of Roberto Zanella.

2017: “Airspace and sculpture”, Show room Massimo Colleoni, Bergamo, Italy, care of Massimo Colleoni.

2017: “No Name”, Una Hotel, Milan, Italy, care of Erika La Cava.

2016: “Air space”, Banca Mediolanum Private Banking Bergamo, Italy, care of Leo Galleries and Oscar Pedretti Private Banker.

2016; “Airspace”, Areadocks center, Brescia, Italy, care of Giancarlo Ruggeri

2016: “Eulogy of transgression”, book by Benito Melchionna, ristorante La Marianna, Bergamo, Italy, care of Manuel Bonfanti.

2016: “Outer Space”, Zoia’s contemporary art gallery, Milan, care of Erika La Cava.

2015: “The Tube One”, permanent  exhibition at the Hospital Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, designed and care of Peter Assembergs and Manuel Bonfanti. Cat.

2015: “No Name”, Piacentinian Center, Bergamo, Italy, care of Manuel Bonfanti.

2015: “Patchwork”, Opera Restaurant, Sorisole, Bergamo, Italy, care of Manuel Bonfanti. Cat.

2014: “Air space”, party in a private house, care of Manuele Camolese, Ranica, Bergamo, Italy. Cat.

2013: “Untitled”, Ristorante La Marianna, Bergamo, Italy, care of Mirko Panattoni.

2013: “Selected works from 1998 to 2013”, Palazzo del Vignola, Todi, Perugia, Italy, promoted by Umbria Music Fest International, IBC Prague, care of W.Attanasi / M. Bonfanti

2013: “The landscape beyond the crisis”, Italian Institute of Culture in Prague, Czech Rep. Cat. and care of Ivan Quaroni of Flash Art magazine.

2013: “Selected works”, Galleria Palmieri. Busto Arsizio, Varese, Italy. Cat. and care of Ettore Ceriani / Andrea Palmieri.

2012: “Flags”, Art Proposals, Roberto Colleoni, Bergamo, Italy. Care of Giacomo Colleoni.

2012: “Module”, Arri’s bar, Bergamo, Italy, care of Stefano Arrigoni / Manuel Bonfanti.

2012: “Works”, Opera Restaurant, Mozzo, Bergamo, Italy. Care of N. Locatelli / M. Bonfanti

2012: “Natura Morta”, Cloister of San Francesco, Bergamo, Italy, care of Mirko Panattoni.

2011: “Natura Morta”, Galleria 27ad, Bergamo, Italy, care of Nicola Scaglione.

2011: “Totems”, Identity Store, Fuori Salone del mobile, Milan, Italy. Care of Giacomo Colleoni.

2011: “No Name”, National Cultural Center, Kazan, Tatarstan, Russian Federation. Care of Rafael Mukamedinesh / Manuel Bonfanti.

2011: “Travels” De Luca Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, care of Andrea Palmieri

2010: “The Three Graces”, art and architecture, with the arch.Massimo Castagna, Zenucchi lab, Bergamo, Italy. Care of Amedeo and Giacomo Zenucchi.

2010: “Church roof & friends”, Area 35 Gallery, Milan, Italy, care of Sara Bramani Araldi and Giacomo Marco Valerio, Cat.

2010: “Fattori Scomposti”, Cloister of San Francesco, Bergamo, Italy, for the exhibition cycle “Presences”, care of I. Chiodi, care of F. Poli / M. Panattoni. Cat.

2010: “Travels”, Palmieri Gallery, Busto Arsizio, Varese, Italy, care of Andrea Palmieri.

2009: “Hymn to Athena”, Onlus Kinnija “, Bergamo, Italy, care of lawyer Marcellla Micheletti / Dott. Carlo Zavaritt.

2009: “Untitled”, Palazzo Colleoni (Rotaract Treviglio), Cortenuova, Bergamo, Italy, care of Manuel Bonfanti.

2009: “People”, Circolino della Malpensata, Bergamo, Italy, care of Manuel Bonfanti.

2008: “The Unfinished iPhone”, C / o Alias ​​shop Corso Monforte 19, Milan, Italy, care of R. Stauffacher / A. Sanguinetti.

2008: “Moodboard”, 27AD Gallery, Bergamo, Italy. Care of Stefano Arrigoni / Manuel Bonfanti.

2008: “30 x 30”, Bermondsey 167, London, Uk, care of Nicola Scaglione.

2008: “White fashion show”, Milan, Italy, care of N.Scaglione.

2007: “t-proportion”, Osteria della Brughiera, Villa d’Almè, Bergamo Italy, care of Stefano Arrigoni / Manuel Bonfanti.

2006:  “BrugherArte”, Osteria della Brughiera, Almè, Bergamo, Italy, care of Stefano Arrigoni / Manuel Bonfanti.

2005:  “Mood board”, Yellow Cake contemporary art Gallery, care of Manuel Bonfanti.

2004:  “Paintings”, Nils Stjernegaard House, Sodemarks svej, Ersum, Gillelej, Danmark. care of Manuel Bonfanti

2002: “Metropolitan Gods”, Palazzo Bargnani Dandolo, municipality of Adro, Brescia, Italy, text by C.Martinelli, care of R. Pagnoni / M. Bonfanti.

2000: “The Return of the Gods”, Alacritas Vis Solis, Zingonia, Bergamo, Italy, care of R. Pagnoni / M. Bonfanti

1996: “ The Cangaru in Finland”, Jyuvaskila Politechnick c/o School of Petajavesi, advanced project of new technology for the EEC Erasmus, care of Manuel Bonfanti.

Main Collective Exhibitions / Principali Mostre Collettive

2019: “Blanc de China”, Esh Gallery, Milano, care of Riccardo Sorani.

2019:  “Domus Art”, Bergamo, Italy, care of Manuel Bonfanti.

2019: “ Affordable Art Fair Milan, care of Esh Gallery Milan.

2018: “Artists Bergamaschi for Nepios”, Bergamo, Italy, care of Tullia Vecchi.

2018: “Officina Elleni”, Galleria Elleni, Bergamo Italy, care of Cristiano Calori.

2018: “Galleria Mazzoleni Art Events 2018”, Frontemare, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy, care of Mario Mazzoleni / Simona Occioni. Cat.

2018: “ArtOzone 2”, World Congress of the Italian Society of Oxigen Ozone Therapy, c/o Seraficum Pontifical University of Rome, curated by Manuel Bonfanti.

2017: “Artists Bergamaschi for Nepios”, Bergamo, Italy, care of Tullia Vecchi.

2017: “ArtOzone 1”, Italian Society of Oxigen Ozone Therapy, Gorle, Bergamo, Italy, care of Manuel Bonfanti.

2017: “In sito”, CNA, National Artisan Center, Gorle, Bergamo, Italy, care of Luigi Radici.

2016: “Small is beautiful “, Zoia’s contemporary art gallery, Milan, Italy, care of Erika La Cava.

2016: “Mazzoleni Art Events”, Gordon Ramsay Restaurant, Castel Monastero, Siena, Toscany, Italy, care of Mario Mazzoleni / Simona Occioni.

2016: “Mazzoleni Art Events 2016”, Forte Village, Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, care of Mario Mazzoleni, Cat.

2016: “Collimazioni”, Headquarters of the Park of the Hills of Bergamo, Bergamo, Italy, coordinator Dario Frigoli, care of Stefania Burnelli, Cat.

2016: ” Artist’s Book”, general association of mutual aid, Bergamo, Italy, organized and care of Sem Galimberti.

2015: “No Name”, Centro Piacentiniano, Bergamo, Italy, care of Manuel Bonfanti.

2013: “Of Course / Naturalmente”, Albino, Italy, care of Virgilio Fidanza

2012: “It can be done! / Si puo’ fare“, ALT, Alzano Lombardo, (Bg), care of M. Panattoni.

2011:  De Luca Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, care of Andrea Palmieri.

2010: “Present Continuo”, Caversazzi Library, Bergamo, care of Italo Chiodi. Cat.

2010: “Immagine”, New Ars Italica, Milan, care of Kristina Snajder.

2009: “Touring test”, New Ars Italica, Milan, care of Kristina Snajder.

2009: “La Fenice et des artistes”, Hotel la Fenice, Venice, Italy, care of G.Pellegrini and M.Facchini, cat.

2006: “Identità incognite”, Yellow Cake’s contemporary art gallery, Bergamo Italy, care of Manuel Bonfanti.

1998: “The opening is inside”, the C. Beccaria Institute of minors, Milan, Italy, care of Chiara Guidi.

1998: “Paraxo XII” Biennal international exhibition of contemporary art, Andora, Italy, care of Thor Haeyerdal / Marisa Vescovo.

1996: “Desert”, Corridor / 133 Melchiorre Gioia Street, Milan, Italy, care of Manuel Bonfanti.

1994: “Luciano Fabro’s students”, Bobadilla Disco, Dalmine, Bergamo, Italy, care of Manuel Bonfanti.

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