Giuseppe Barilaro

Giuseppe Barilaro (b. 1988, Catanzaro, Italy) is an Italian contemporary artist based in Carrara. After studying at the Istituto d’Arte in San Giovanni in Fiore, he graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts of Catanzaro, specializing in Decoration.

Working primarily with wood, fire, pigments, and layered materials, Barilaro transforms the painted surface into a physical landscape where erosion, memory, and human fragility converge. Through processes of combustion, carving, and abrasion, his works explore the tension between presence and absence, revealing the emotional weight embedded within matter itself.

His paintings have been exhibited internationally, including in Italy, China, Iran, and the United States, with works acquired by museum collections in New York. In 2022, his acclaimed solo exhibition L’oblio dei Corpi (The Oblivion of Bodies), curated by Lorenzo Canova, further established his distinctive approach to material painting.

Barilaro’s practice continues to challenge conventional notions of beauty and representation, creating works that invite viewers to experience painting as both image and lived material.