Emiliano Stella’s artwork breaks the rules imposed in the 1960s, considering the western metropolis as the only possible gravitational centre for contemporary art. Inspiration, techniques and audience are meaningful only in this context, as the direct result of urban reality. All the trends based on pop art followed the idea of a type of art born, imagined and used in the city. Emiliano Stella bases his own art on the experience of pop art and street art; he adopts these techniques and principles but alters their sense completely, by changing the subjects. His works show the outskirts of the industrialized world, the boondocks that have always been left aside, kept away from the most recent artistic forms, despite being a cultural centre in the last decades. This world was always relegated to mannerist descriptions, picturesque paintings which have passed a crystallized idea of it, precisely when, instead, the society was quickly changing, with a consequent modification in its characteristics. And this change is precisely what watchful eyes would find in Emiliano Stella’s works, a disillusioned perspective of someone who does not want to depict the womb to which the author does not want to come back- once reality is faced. Subjects of his works are guys who spend their evenings with a beer that eases the monotony of a context that is devoid of stimuli; landscapes of historic buildings and ancient villages along with insignificant parallelepipeds which are the result of a more or less recent speculation; paintings of families which seem halfway between living an out of time economic boom and a clumsy performance of a well-being status. Even in portraits, one of the artist’s favourite forms of expression, he avoids mass icons and focuses on clearly identified faces, which turn from person into personality through his eyes. The ability to apply a wide range of techniques and to grasp reality through points of view which are never trivial – which is the result of a superposition of the original photo, movie and comic- creates an abstraction of reality full of hermeneutic possibilities: the screech produced by a proto-urban reality, filtered by a truly contemporary vision leads to an oblique break with all the aesthetic parameters to which we are accustomed. The artist breaks down with both traditions, with the one now defined contemporary- by identifying the culture on the margins as its subject- but filters it with a contemporary feature, which mixes pop with the most current languages of the road and creates problems to the imaginary through which this reality has shown itself. Noone better than Emiliano Stella investigates in the events taking place in Italy, putting under the spotlight all the contradictions that tear our modernity.
Vittorio Saldutti

MAIN EXHIBITIONS

2023: Taurasi (Av). M.A.T. | Museo Archeologico Taurasi. Solo show: “Allegoria”.
2020 Napoli. PAN | Palazzo delle Arti Napoli. Solo show: “Microsfera PE”. Edited by Barbara Matetich. Catalogue by Delta 3 edizioni.
2019: Berlin. Green Hill Gallery. Group exhibition: “Fragile Living”. Edited by Bobbi Jo Brooks
2018: Montoro (Av). Cantina Montone/contemporary artistic expressions. Group exhibition: “4 artisti Irpini” for the 14th Contemporary Day – AMACI. Edited by Pietro Montone
2018: Avellino. AXRT Contemporary Gallery. Group exhibition “ECO Sostenibilità Visionaria“. Edited by Stefano Forgione
2016: Naples. Banco di Napoli – Foundation. Long term exhibition
2015: Naples. Diocese Museum. Group exhibition: “Il Popolo di San Gennaro“. Edited by Don Alfonso Russo, Alessandra Monda, Franco Lista. Published on the catalogue.
2015: Avellino. Casina del Principe. Solo show: “Bon appétit“. Edited by Nello Antonio Valentino. Presentation made by Vittorio Saldutti
2014: Salerno. Studio 21 Tattoo and Art Gallery. Group exhibition “A tua immagine“. Presentation made by Vittorio Saldutti.
2014: Avellino. Cultural Centre L’Approdo. Group exhibition “A tua immagine“. Presentation made by Vittorio Saldutti.
2013: Avellino. Complesso Monumentale Ex Carcere Borbonico. Solo show. Supported by Soprintendenza per i Beni Architettonici e Paesaggistici for the provinces of Salerno and Avellino, Editions Mephite, Godot Art Bistrot.
2013: Naples. Tunnel Borbonico. Group Exibition. “Aldo Cicellyn celebrates Ve.Na.“Edited by Paolo dell’Aquila and Raffaele Loffredo.
2012: Avellino. Town Theatre. Solo show: “Giovani, carini e choosy!”. Edited by Paolo dell’Aquila and Tania Merenda.
2012: Nocera Inferiore (Sa). Bright Contemporary Gallery. Solo show. Introduction by Vittorio Saldutti.
2012: Naples. D77. Group Exhibition “Ve.Na. – Vera Napoletanità“. Edited by Paolo dell’Aquila, Raffaele Loffredo
2011: 54th Esposizione Biennale di Venezia (Padiglione Italia). State of Art Campania. Edited by Vittorio Sbarbi. Published on the catalogue.
2011: Naples. Colosimo Institute. IV Biennale Giovani Artisti Campani “A regola d’arte”. Edited by Tania Merenda.
2011: London. Acquire Arts Gallery. International Group Exhibition: “Star(T)Dust“. Edited by Plasticine Art Factory.
2010: Viterbo. Quartieri dell’Arte, XIV edition. Canvas and scenography inspired by Viliam Klimacek’s theatre piece.
2010: London. Acquire Arts Gallery. International Group Exhibition: “The Dream Machine. Chapter one: Diary of a DNA“. Edited by Plasticine Art Factory.
2010: Avellino. Irpiniarte. Group Exhibition: Artisti Irpini a Confronto.
2009: Milan. LP Studio Fashion. Group Exhibition: “Art Skins Design“. Presente su catalogo.
2008: Milan. New Ars Italica. Group Exhibition “La Finestra sull’arte“. Edited by Emanuele Beluffi.
2008: Milan. New Ars Italica. Group Exhibition “Black & White“. Edited by Andrea G. Pinketts.
2007: Milan. Finalist in the competition Cup House 2007 “L’Aroma del Caffè“.
2007: Milan. Miart. Group Exhibition “A3” (third edition). Edited by Marco Izzolino. Stand on Not Gallery.
2007: Bologna. Zoo Cafè. Group Exhibition “A3” (second edition). Edited by Marco Izzolino. Collateral exhibition Bologna Arte Fiera.
2006: Viterbo.Studio Fontaine. Solo Exhibition “Street” edited by Marcello Carriero.
2006: Naples. Not Gallery. Group Exhibition “A3” edited by Marco Izzolino.
2006: Padova. Arte Padova 2006. Stand on AlArtecontemporanea.
2006: Caserta. Thirty-sixth edition “Settembre al borgo 2006”. Video review “Vicolo Corto“.
2006: Catania. “Le Ciminiere” Centre. Group Exhibition “Human@rt” edited by Lucio Barbera.
2006: Catania. Catania Arte Fiera 2006. Stand on AlArtecontemporanea.
2006: Itinerant Group exhibition “13×17 – padiglione Italia”, edited by Jean Blanchaert, Anna Zerbaro, Roberta Gaito, Elena Agaudio, Cristina Alaimo, Momò Calascibetta, Irina Eschenanzi. Supported by: Philippe Daverio, Luciano Donatelli, Albino Claudio Bosio, Anna e Guido Avario, Umberto Zampini.
2005: Milan. Ars italica gallery. Group Exhibition “Beautiful People“. Performance linked to Milano Moda Show.
2005: Florence. Station Leopolda. Fondazione Fabbrica Europa per le Arti Contemporanee. Video projection “Out of Control” edited by Matteo Chini and Bruno Muzzolini.
2003: Naples. Church of S.Severo al Pendino. Exhibition “Arteria’s Group”: “Korper/Leib” presented by Patrizia Lovato,supported by city of Napoli and Regione Campania.
2003: Rome. Galleria Cervantes. Group Exhibition “Forme e Colori in movimento” supported by European Parliament, city of Roma, Senato della Repubblica and Ministero per i Beni ed Attività Culturali.
2002: Avellino. Cultural Center “L’Approdo”. Group Exhibition “L’Infanzia”
2002: Reported by “Arte” journal (Mondadori) as one of the most original young artists in Italy.
2002: Naples. Church of S.Severo al Pendino. Exhibition “Arteria’s Group”: “Il banchetto del bizzarro” presented by master Gianni Pisani and supported by the city of Napoli.
2001: Naples. Cultural Center “Spazio Arte”. Exhibition “Arteria’s Group”: “Altri corpi, altri spazi” edited by Marco Di Capua.
2001: Avellino. Cultural Center “L’Approdo”. Exhibition “Arteria’s Group”: “Delictum” presented and edited by Massimo Bignardi and Gianni Pisani.
2001: Marina di Camerota (Salerno) Cultural Center “Oneroi”. Group Exhibition “Mediterraneo” with the Academy students of Napoli and Perugia, supported by F.A.O.
1998: Naples. Galleria del giardino. Academy exhibition.