Giovanni Spinicchia Biography
1937 – Born in Florence. 1950 – Lower and higher studies and teaching of art at the School of Art of Florence (until 1958). Training in Fresco, Architecture, Furniture. His teachers are: Renzo Grazzini, Onofrio Martinelli, Alberto Galigiani, Alessandro Parronchi. 1958 – Studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence for the Scenography section (until 1961) with Angelo Maria Landi and Bruno Mello. From 1954 to 1961 he collaborated as a designer with the architects Giovanni Michelucci, Leonardo Savioli, Sandro Pagnini, Ernesto Miniati, Carlo Casini. He is interested in and collaborates as an advertising and cinematographic graphic designer. He was called to Vittorio Gassman's Teatro Tenda as assistant set designer for a performance in Florence. 1963 – The “Flaccovio” Art Gallery in Palermo invites him to participate in an exhibition. 1963 – Another source of work inspiration is found in the Capo d'Orlando villa of Baron Lucio Piccolo, cousin of Prince Tommasi of Lampedusa, in whose palace he listens to the reading of the Baroque Songs. These meetings constitute the inspirational source for future portraits. 1966 – He moves to Rome where he continues teaching and frequents galleries. He takes part in exhibitions and meets artists such as Pino Pascali, Tano Festa. 1969 – In October he moves to Florence. 1971 – He holds the chair at the Art School of Florence for figure and drawn ornamentation. 1972 – Attends the Salzburg Academy. He exhibited at the Florentine gallery “Inquadrature 33”, directed by Marcello Innocenti. In the same year, the Municipality of Cesena expressly requested one of his works for its collection. 1972 – First solo exhibition at Palazzo Ridolfi in Florence dedicated to the themes of Sicily, themes that he will soon abandon. 1972 – Influenced by Gerhard Richter he begins to paint portraits. 1980 – Raffaello Banchelli, owner of Edi Grafica in Florence, invites him to join a group of artists. Pier Carlo Santini, Giorgio Mascherpa, Dario Micacchi, Mario Penelope, Elvira Cassa Salvi, Raffaele de Grada, Franco Solmi are interested in his work. 1983 – He is invited to Assisi to create a manifesto for Peace. 1983 – Leaves teaching to dedicate himself exclusively to painting. 1985 – Banchelli, who had contributed to its success, disappears. The Cassa di Risparmio di Pistoia and the Banca Nazionale del Lavoro of Milan purchase his works. 1987 – The collector Marion Duteurtre purchases a production of 356 works of oils and pastels for the “VAAS” Center in Vence. 1992 – Exhibits in an Italian exhibition (Artist's Book), at the MOMA in New York. He is present with a work created in 1975 on behalf of Candelaio Edizioni of Florence. 1993 – The Academy of Fine Arts in Florence commissions him to teach at the Scuola Libera del Nudo. In controversy with the management structures, he left office in 1994. 1997 – The Municipality of Santa Croce sull'Arno invites him to the collective Le figures delle passioni curated by Nicola Micieli. With him Bodini, Carmassi, Caruso, T Ferroni, Moreni, Pericoli exhibited. 1998 – He exhibits the New York Polyptych entitled American Artist of the 80s for the first time at the Palazzina Mangari in Fiesole, Florence. 2005 – He exhibits some of his portraits at the Montalcino estate of the Marchesi de' Frescobaldi in Castel Giocondo.
