Ninni Pagano (1969) - Equilibri metaprofani

Biography of Ninni Pagano

Born in Catania in 1969, Ninni Pagano initially undertakes scientific studies, a background that will influence the precision and structure of his future works. His entry into the art world comes through time spent in the studio of master Antonio Sciacca, with whom he shares a view of art as a bridge between different eras.

The Poetics: "The Cabinet of Wonders"
Pagano’s research is closely tied to the concept of Wunderkammer (Cabinet of Wonders). His works are often conceived as mental spaces where they merge:

Classicism and Pop: Elements of Greco-Roman statuary and Renaissance forms are reinterpreted with compact colors and contemporary symbolisms.
Alchemy and Philosophy: The artist investigates the enigma of existence through dreamlike figures (such as his famous "Swan Women") and Hermetic references.
Matter: He uses mixed powders to achieve a chromatic compactness that gives the canvases a nearly sculptural dimension.

Milestones and Recognitions
Although his exhibition career fully took off around 2011, he quickly reached internationally significant milestones:
Venice Biennale: Exhibited at the 56th edition (2015) within the show "Grazie Italia" at the Guatemala Pavilion.
Rome Triennale: Participation in the Visual Arts Exposition of the 2014 Triennale.
Publications: His work is included in Mondadori’s Catalogo d'Arte Moderna (CAM) and in De Agostini’s Atlante dell'Arte Contemporanea.

International Presence: His works have been shown at prestigious venues such as the Altes Dampfbad Museum in Baden-Baden, Germany, and at Art Market in Budapest.
In addition to painting and sculpture, Pagano is an expert connoisseur of antique art. This passion is reflected in the way he “rescues” the past, not to copy it, but to transform it into a grotesque and fascinating language that speaks of the contradictions of modern man.

Metaphysical balances
"Equilibri Metaprofani" is a figurative and conceptual composition that fuses the rigor of Platonic geometry with the sensuality of the classical portrait. The work stages a visual short circuit between sacred, profane and metaphysical, combining aesthetic elements from different eras and cultures.

Figurative Description

The Subject: In the foreground stands the bust of a female figure whose face, painted with an almost Mannerist smoothness, shows delicate features and a glazed gaze directed at the observer.

The Hybrid Iconography: The woman wears a swim cap and vintage goggles on her head, while the neck is elongated by a metallic spiral inspired by tribal motifs (a nod to the Kayan women), completed by a necklace of coral red bead-like spheres.

Geometric Forms: On the left side of the composition, three hollow polyhedra in wood and stone float, rendered with perspective precision that evokes Platonic solids and Renaissance studies.

Colors and Light: The work employs a strong Caravaggesque chiaroscuro, where a dark, indistinct background makes the warm tones of the flesh, the bright blue of the headdress, and the vivid red of the jewelry stand out.

Critical Analysis

Temporal Short Circuit: The artist collapses time by uniting modernist twentieth-century elements (the swim goggles) with ethnically tribal traditions and Renaissance portrait motifs.
Tension Between Nature and Geometry: The organic softness of the flesh contrasts with the sharp rigidity of the polyhedra, suggesting a constant search for balance between human complexity and the mathematical order of the universe.
Sacralization of the Profane: Transforming ordinary, profane objects into almost religious iconographic attributes, the work elevates the subject to a mythic and timeless dimension, typical of metaphysical painting.

Instagram:@ninnipagano